President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday brought hope that the Colorado Department of Transportation’s funding shortfall for road-building projects will at least be eased.

Trump pledged to seek $1.5 trillion in new infrastructure spending for roads, bridges, highways and waterways.

The federal grants would need to be matched by state and local funds. Legislative Republicans say this session’s Senate Bill 1 is just the ticket, preserving $300 million a year in the state budget to repay transportation bonds.

Trump also said he would try to reduce the time it takes to win approval of permits for infrastructure projects to no more than one or two years.

“Isn’t it a disgrace that it can take 10 years to get a minor permit approved for the building of a simple road,” Trump said.

The president’s infrastructure plan was cautiously welcomed by state and federal officials in Colorado.

Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, said, “As chairman of the [House] Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans I understand a solid infrastructure plan is extremely important – not only for the western United States that I represent, but for our entire nation. Highways and bridges throughout the nation urgently need updating and essential transportation functions are crumbling. I fully support the president’s plan to restore and improve the nation’s infrastructure.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, only reluctantly agreed with the president that infrastructure should be one of several priorities for the Trump administration.

“We have been working in Colorado on funding for infrastructure improvements for several years and trying to contain the opioid epidemic for most of seven years,” Hickenlooper said in a statement. “If the president is sincere in supporting these goals, and truly supports criminal justice reform, and job retraining, we can work together. Even comprehensive immigration reform could be possible. We hope it’s not just talk.”

Trump administration officials said infrastructure improvement would be the president’s next big project after completing passage of tax reform late last year.

The president gave few details during his speech Tuesday, other than to say, “Every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with state and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment.”

Colorado transportation officials already have signaled where they are most likely to spend any matching federal funding.

Much of the $20 billion the Colorado Department of Transportation says it needs over the next two decades would be spent on improvements to highways, such as I-70 in the mountains and I-25 between Castle Rock and Monument. Another large portion would be spent on bridges and public transportation.

“President Trump said it would help states the most that help themselves,” said Amy Ford, Colorado Department of Transportation spokesperson. “Colorado’s positioning itself to benefit.”

She said transportation officials are likely to dedicate part of state taxes to specific projects that could be used to match federal funds.

“We have an eye to multi-modal projects for public transit,” she said.

The state already has laid the groundwork for other transportation funding to come from private companies, she said.

“Colorado also is well-positioned for public-private partnerships,” Ford said.

Trump’s estimates of needed infrastructure spending are similar to assessments from engineering trade groups, such as the American Society of Civil Engineers. Its lobbyists say the U.S. should spend $2 trillion in the next decade to ensure adequate infrastructure.

However, Trump’s plan still needs congressional approval, which seemed like an uphill battle judging by some responses from federal lawmakers after the speech.

As the federal deficit approached $1 trillion, even Trump’s Republican supporters were asking how they could pay for an additional $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill.

The Trump administration is expected to explain more details of the plan within weeks. During the president’s speech, he did not reveal the source of the money he wants for infrastructure.

“One-point-five trillion [dollars] matched by apparently $1.5 trillion at the state – where does that come from, how does that work? A lot of details that need to be worked out,” said Colorado U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican.