Attention Colorado! DOT refusing to practice eco-friendly policies

Five years ago, the Colorado state legislature passed an initiative to promote driving cleaner vehicles. Hybrid drivers, they said, could drive without passengers in the carpool lane, as well as enjoy I-25 toll lanes for free. Unfortunately, the state Department of Transportation has failed to put this into practice. In some instances, citing no federal regulations telling them which hybrids to approve, in others, saying the CDOT is worried about congestion due to too many hybrid drivers taking up the carpool lane.

Which is it? Or is it at all? Was this an initiative that – because it would take funds from the budget – was placed on the back burner indefinitely? The policy is set to expire in 2009, and while a spokesperson from the CDOT claims they’re planning to implement a program based on EPA recommendations, there’s little time left to put it into action. Will lawmakers feel it’s worth their time to extend it another five years when the first resulted in no action?

If you follow this link to the Rocky Mountain News, you can read the full story, along with a very interesting comment at the bottom:

“Why do hybrid owners have such a superiority complex and think they deserve something special for being conspicous consumers? …”

In my opinion, this is more about the state’s Department of Transportation failing – in fact, refusing – to honor a program supported by the people of Colorado and their representatives to encourage greener practices. The question is WHY. It’s a question I’d want answered.