Colorado Springs begins spending tax increase money for street improvements

Five months after Colorado Springs voters approved a five-year, $250 million tax increase for street improvements, work officially began this week.

The city officially kicked off the project Friday on Woodmen Road near the Lexington Drive intersection.

The stretch of Woodmen between Lexington and Powers Boulevard is a busy road, is in poor condition and is among the first projects funded by the voter-approved tax increase.

In the first phase of the project, workers will perform concrete work in five areas of town, pouring cement to upgrade curbs and gutters prior to repaving the street.

City crews did some concrete work last year in advance of the 2C paving.

“What we’re trying to do is protect the asset,” said Corey Farkas, manager of the city’s Streets Division. “We don’t want to come in and pave a brand-new road and have water infiltration get under it through cracked concrete, and negatively impact the new roadway we have. We want to keep our good roads good.”

The 2C project is designed to reduce pothole repairs by repaving streets and eliminating the need for constant repairs on some of the busiest crumbling streets.

Seven contractors are doing the concrete work. The city plans to hire asphalt contractors soon and begin paving a priority list of streets next month.

Drivers who live near Woodmen and Lexington were glad to see the work happening.

“I’m really glad to see them spending the money that they promised to spend, on what they promised to spend it on,” said Fred Ezell. “And I’m glad to see they’re not starting in front of their own houses.”

Mayor John Suthers campaigned and was elected on a promise to improve the city’s streets and roads. However, he shared credit with the public Friday.

“We’re very fortunate that the taxpayers have stepped up and given us the funds to begin to improve our streets,” he said. “But this is not going to happen overnight, and people need to understand that.”

For updated information about street and road projects in the city, visit: http://www.ColoradoSprings.gov/conezones.