Five-Year Street Paving Project Finally Begins

dot com. get used to the smell of asphalt. the sales-tax- for-streets project — otherwise known as 2-c — in colordo springs is officially underway. it was approved by voters last november. and as krdo newschannel 13’s scott harrison shows us, the first priority is new street surfaces designed to avoid more potholes. “i wasn’t too sure about the mayor charging us a new tax. but it really worked out well.” joann ferguson has lived on the east end of rockrimmon boulevard for 17 years. it’s one of the first streets paved by the 2-c salse tax increase. “i love it. they did a fantastic job. i had to pay for my honda civic. two struts had to be fixed, almost 800 dollars to fix two struts, and that was caused by potholes.” the paving is a welcome sight for another neighbor along rockrimmon. it’s going on during the day, and i work at the university, so i don’t have to hear the contruction as much and deal with the traffic. i think it’s great that it’s getting completed fast.” crews have no choice other than to work fast, with asphalt that’s 300 degrees. “the biggest challenge for the two contractors who landed the contract with the city, is finding enough workers and materials to get the job done, at the height of the construction season–when just about every other community has paving jobs, too. to date, we’ve probably hired 50 to 75 people to keep up with the work. i’m thinking we’re going to need about 20 to 30 more, as the project gets underway and we’re running full speed.” meantime, they ask drivers… and others who frequent 2c projects … to take it slow as the paving continues. in colorado springs–scott harrison, krdo newschannel 13. so far, the sales tax increase has generated ten- million dollars for paving. it should pull in around 45- million by the