Six Republican state legislators from El Paso County are calling on the governor to get a move on to designate Interstate 25 from Monument to Castle Rock a “high priority” to possibly score some money from the Trump administration.

The president signed an executive order Tuesday to expedite environmental reviews for high-priority infrastructure projects. Trump vowed on the campaign trail to put $550 billion into infrastructure projects nationwide.

“As you know, when it comes to transportation infrastructure projects, time is money,” the letter states. “Delay typically not only exacerbates both degradation of existing infrastructure and traffic congestion related economic and health impacts, but also makes the projects themselves more expensive to complete. Further, the danger and delays experienced in the I-25 south corridor, specifically the roadway between Monument and Castle Rock, have been subject to expanding public concern and official state action and effort.”

The letter was signed by Reps. Paul Lundeen, Dan Nordberg, Terri Carver, Lois Landgraf, Dave Williams and Larry Liston.

What we’re saying is we have a great opportunity in front of us,” Lundeen said. “Let’s seize it and not let it get away.”

The Interstate 70 mountain corridor also is eyed another potential “high priority” I-25 from Denver to Fort Collins has already cleared its environmental reviews and awaits funding.

“The president’s pxecutive Order yesterday was a very important action to move this country forward on infrastructure,” said David May, head of the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce and the Fix North I-25 Business Alliance. “We have already endured the lengthy and costly federal environmental review process for the $1.5 billion North I-25 expansion project making it the top priority, shovel-ready project in Colorado for any federal or state funds.

“We strongly support the request by our friends on the other end of I-25 for the governor to have the important South I-25 project from Monument to Castle Rock, and other critical projects in the state, be deemed high-priority in their continued efforts to get their project shovel-ready, too.”