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DENVER — Gov. John Hickenlooper said over the next four years he is going to use state lottery funds — through Great Outdoors Colorado — to help Colorado become the best biking state in the nation.

“The goal is to make Colorado best for biking,” Hickenlooper said. “The investments to help fuel the economy, help tourism, move us toward a cleaner environment and advance the goal of being the healthiest state in the nation.”

The governor fussed a bit about the state obesity rate climbing to 21 percent, up from 16 percent in 2004.

Then he cited a nationwide survey that found kids only spend about four to seven minutes outside in unstructured play every day but are spending seven to 10 hours hours a day staring at screens of some type or shape.

The four-year plan and $100 million budget will add bike and pedestrian infrastructure, making biking safe for riders and motorists.

Because the funding will come through GOCO, which provides protected funds from politicians, taxpayers shouldn’t worry about the Colorado Department of Transportation or general fund dollars going into the biking pot.