Hickenlooper: Time's run out for Colorado roads spending

DENVER (AP) -- Gov. John Hickenlooper is urging Colorado's municipal leaders to lobby lawmakers for a transportation funding ballot measure that can be referred to voters this year.

Hickenlooper told a Colorado Municipal League summit on Thursday that time's run out the state's long-running roads funding debate.

He said that he'd ideally like to see concrete proposals in the Legislature by the end of March.

That would give lawmakers roughly six weeks to work out a ballot measure before the legislative session ends.

Hickenlooper called for an all-of-the-above package: Bonds for large projects, a possible state sales tax increase, expanding the general fund and diveting savings in health care spending.

Colorado roads projects face a $9 billion backlog -- plus a $1 billion maintenance bill each year.