DENVER -- Colorado lawmakers were told the state is falling further and further behind in highway repairs and it is only going to get worse.

Gov. Bill Ritter's "Blue Ribbon" transportation panel presented its findings Tuesday to the Senate Transportation Committee.

The 32-member panel spent the past year traveling across the state to examine the state's needs and determine how much it would cost to bring the state up to standard.

Panel co-chair and State Treasurer Cary Kennedy told 7NEWS the problem is "dire."

"Our obligation and where the conversation has to start is making sure that we keep the traveling public safe," she said.

Lawmakers haven't committed to any new spending, but the report could serve as a blueprint.

Still another option would be to send a spending plan to Colorado voters in the November election.

Among the recommendations:

A highway maintenance fee that would cost , on average, $100 more per vehicle in Colorado. The fee would raise $500 million.

A motor fuel tax of 13 cents per gallon. It would raise $351 million.

A new visitor fee is also being proposed. The fee would charge hotel and rental car customers $6 per day and raise $240 million.

Ritter and Democrats at the state capitol would probably only go along with a spending plan if Republican leaders also signed on in support. This is an election year and Democrats are sensitive to charges that they are the tax-and-spend party.