El Paso County commissioners concerned over bike lane extension along Cascade Avenue

COLORADO SPRING, Colo. (KRDO) - An apparent rift between the City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County commissioners is playing out. It stems from a project the city is working on to widen bike lanes along Cascade Avenue in downtown.

The extension will widen the bike lane from South Cascade Avenue between Colorado Avenue and West Fountain Boulevard all in the name of increased safety.

Although now some county commissioners are crying foul.

According to the city's master bike plan, anywhere between 158 to 177 cyclists pass through the intersection of Cascade and Vermijo Ave. during peak daytime hours.

El Paso County commissioners who work in the area say those numbers are way off and it's led them to demand a recount.

"When I see 177 per hour, I don't see 177 per week on these roads. So, where did they come up with that number?" Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez Jr. says.

Gonzalez says his window faces Cascade Avenue, "Honestly, I don't see how even on bike to work day, they would have got that kind of number."

The numbers he's referring to come from a memo released by the city in March of 2022.

Now, a letter from El Paso County commissioners is expressing disbelief.

"Why not just provide a new count and review the data before they move forward with any permanent change," Gonzalez says.

The changes Gonzalez refers to are part of the Colorado Springs "bike master plan" along South Cascade Avenue. The area is set to be re-striped, widening the existing bike lane and taking away two lanes for cars.

"I'm all for public safety. I want to make sure our roads are safe, but I also want to make sure that we don't inhibit and make things worse with congestion," Gonzalez says.

County commissioners also feel that the project will negatively impact county services in the area; affecting access to the sheriff's office headquarters, the judicial courthouse, and the commissioners' office.

"Right outside this corner we have during the election cycles are drop boxes. The loss of that lane, I think is going to potentially negatively affect and make it more difficult for our local residents to vote in an efficient manner," Gonzalez says.

The city tells KRDO13 they are evaluating the planned extension and they are directly in talks with the county.

However, they add that the project will not change parking capacity downtown; affecting only the bike lanes for safety purposes.