“Polis gave the Colorado Department of Transportation permission to carry out all short‑term repair work needed after the floods.” — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Our verdict: Unverified.
Governor Jared Polis made the statement in a Durango Herald article about his request for a major disaster declaration for flooding in Archuleta and Rio Grande counties, dated 31 October 2026.
Our verdict
Unverified
We could not confirm or refute whether Governor Jared Polis gave the Colorado Department of Transportation permission to carry out all short-term repair work needed after the October 2026 floods. The Governor said he authorised CDOT to do every short-term repair possible, but no public document sets out the exact scope of that permission.
Know something that settles it? Send us evidenceWhat we found
The Governor's own words, reported by the Durango Herald, show he told CDOT to carry out every short-term repair it could. CDOT also confirmed it was doing emergency repair work and asked for federal relief money, and the Governor's office said state resources were committed and federal funds approved. But none of these sources is a written order or directive listing exactly which repairs were covered. Without that, we cannot say whether the permission covered all the short-term work needed, so the claim stays unverified.
The evidence
2 of 6 sources support the claim; none contradict it.
- Background
The Durango Herald reported that Governor Polis said he authorised CDOT to perform all possible short-term repairs after the October 2026 floods. [1]
- Supports the claim
CDOT confirmed it was actively repairing flood damage and requested $65 million in federal emergency relief. [2]
- Background
The Governor's office said he declared a disaster emergency in October 2026 for several counties, including Archuleta and Rio Grande. [3]
- Supports the claim
CDOT said it was actively engaged in emergency highway repairs after the October 2026 floods. [4]
- Background
The Governor's office said federal quick-release funds were approved so crews could begin clearing debris and repaving roads. [5]
- Background
The National Weather Service issued a major flood warning for the San Juan River in Archuleta County on 31 October 2026. [6]
What we could not confirm
- Whether the Governor's permission covered every short-term repair needed, rather than just the repairs CDOT chose to carry out.
- Whether any written order or directive from the Governor's office set out the full scope of the authorisation.
How we checked
We looked at the Governor's quoted statement, CDOT news releases about the flood response, and announcements from the Governor's office about disaster declarations and federal funding. We could not find a formal directive or written order confirming the exact scope of the permission. We reviewed 6 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]www.durangoherald.com · Colorado Gov. Jared Polis requests major disaster declaration for flooding in Archuleta, Rio Grande counties
- [2]codot.gov · CDOT requests $65 million in Federal Emergency Relief for Southwest Colorado flood damage · October 1, 2026
- [3]governorsoffice.colorado.gov · Governor Polis Commits State Support and Resources for Southwestern Colorado Flood Response | Colorado Governor Jared Polis
- [4]codot.gov · Floods continue to impact travel throughout southwest Colorado and the Four Corners region
- [5]governorsoffice.colorado.gov · Federal Highway Administration Approves Quick Release Funds to Begin Southwest Colorado Flood Repairs | Colorado Governor Jared Polis
- [6]forecast.weather.gov · WWA Summary by Location for 37N 107.34W with NMZ203/COC007/NMZ120 emphasis Flood Warning · October 31, 2026
Help us check this claim
We could not find enough public evidence to confirm or refute this claim. If you know of an official record, dataset, transcript or report that settles it, send us the link. We review every submission and update this fact check when the evidence changes the picture.
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