6th year of 2C expanded street paving program begins in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Expect to see more neighborhood streets repaved this year, as the city starts its sixth year of the 2C taxpayer-funded street paving program.
This year also marks the beginning of a five-year extension of the project -- at a slightly lower tax rate -- by voters.
However, Mayor John Suthers said that the city's economy remains so strong, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, that the sales tax allocated to the paving will generate more revenue than during the first five years.
"That's an investment by our taxpayers of 5.7 pennies on a $10 purchase that totals over $50 million per year, strictly for road improvements in Colorado Springs," he said.
Although the city's kick-off event Thursday to announce the resumption of the project came later than usual, officials said that the cool, wet spring has had little effect on paving.
The kick-off was held while crews paved New Car Drive and Test Drive, behind the area of auto dealerships near the intersection of Austin Bluffs Parkway and Woodmen Road.
Crews recently finished paving selected streets in the nearby Bridle Pass neighborhood. Officials said that half of the paving in the second round of 2C will be on those side streets.
There was mixed reaction Thursday to the paving in Bridle Pass.
"My street wasn't as bad as in some places, but I think it's considerably better," said Patricia Anderson, a resident for 20 years. "We had potholes, etc. It's beautiful right now. As smooth as can be."
Just around the corner, Abby Keller was in her yard, holding her daughter, Ivy.
"It doesn't look like they're going to pave my street, even though it needs it," she said. "I'd like to know more about how they decide which street needs it more. I wish they'd pave this one because we have lots of kids here who ride bikes and skateboards."
Officials named Dublin Boulevard on the city's north side, and Weber Street downtown, among the major and secondary streets to be paved this year.
To see the full list, visit: https://coloradosprings.gov/2cpavinglist.
Nancy Henjum, a new city councilwoman who also sits on the 2C advisory board, said that she's eager to see how the project continues to progress.
"I think that people have some questions about how does prioritization (for paving) happen," she said. "How do we determine when, where and how we improve roads? So I'm very keen in watching for that. I'm asking those questions on 2C."
Corey Farkas, the city's manager of public works operations and maintenance, said that paving neighborhood streets is more challenging.
"There are more people to notify, crews have less space to work and they still have to allow residents to get into and out of their homes," he said. "We're trying something new. We're going to send mailers out to every resident of a neighborhood where we're paving. The mailers will not only have a description of what we're going to be doing in that neighborhood -- but on the back, it'll also have a map showing all of the streets that we'll be impacting."
