This public domain photo is from Palo Alto, not Boulder County, but the idea is the same. Transportation improvements like those envisioned in Issue 1C can enhance safety and mobility for a range of different modes and users.
Ballot Issue 1C would extend a 0.1% Boulder County transportation sales tax that was originally passed in 2001, and extended in 2007, and would generate about $11 million annually if it passes. Unless the current ballot measure passes, the transportation tax would “sunset” June 30, 2024 and Boulder County. This year’s ballot measure would be in effect “in perpetuity” if it passes, meaning there is no sunset date, but it could be altered or eliminated with future ballot measures. The ballot measure would pass with a simple majority of Boulder County voters.
The County resolution language for 1C identifies the following general uses for this tax revenue (abbreviated for brevity):
- Road and bridge improvements to improve user safety, increase resiliency against natural disasters, and improve multimodal connectivity including bike lanes and intersection improvements
- Improvements to regional corridors for items including bus rapid transit, commuter bikeways, and other safety and mobility infrastructure
- Local, regional, and inter-regional transit services to complement those offered by transit agencies or to provide new services
- Construction and/or maintenance of regional trails, multi-use paths, and bikeways to increase connectivity and safety
- Community mobility and transportation programs to serve populations with special needs
- For all of the above, 1C money could be used for associated needs like planning, design, maintenance, administration, public engagement and outreach.
The existing 0.1% sales tax is not the only source of revenue funding Boulder County transportation. The county gets some revenue for transportation from property taxes, a local share of state Highway Users Tax Fund revenue, and other sources. Also, transportation projects might be multijurisdictional – for example a State of Colorado highway might run through a city or county, and improvements might be funded collaboratively. 1C revenue could be used as local match money to leverage funding for county projects from other sources.
What Actual Projects Would 1C Fund?
The County resolution for 1C identifies a number of specific projects as objectives for the first 15 years of this tax. Below is a small sample of the projects, but voters will get the full list with their county TABOR notice or can visit this webpage for more information: https://bouldercounty.gov/transportation/plans-and-projects/transportation-sales-tax-project-list/
Multimodal Safety and Resiliency:
- South Boulder Road Reconstruction – Boulder to Louisville
- Mountain Road Safety & Repairs (Lee Hill, Sugarloaf, Sunshine)
- Eldora Ski Road Reconstruction
- Highway 66 Improvements – Main to Hover (Longmont)
- 120th Street Bridge Replacement over Coal Creek (Lafayette)
- East County Line Rd Buffered Shoulders – Hwy 66 to 17th Ave (Longmont)
- 61st Street / Valmont Road Intersection Safety Improvements
- East County Line Rd Safety & Resiliency – Hwy 52 to Coal Creek (Erie)
- McCaslin / Marshall Intersection Safety Improvements (Superior)
Regional Corridor Projects:
- Colorado 119 Bus Rapid Transit and Commuter Bikeway
- Colorado 7 Bus Rapid Transit, Commuter Bikeways and Intersection Safety
- Colorado 42 Multimodal Corridor and Safety Improvements
- US 287 Bus Rapid Transit, Intersection Safety and Commuter Bikeway
- South Boulder Road Planning Study – Lafayette to Boulder
Regional Trails and Bikeway Projects
- Boulder-to-Erie Regional Trail (BERT)
- North Foothills / US 36 Multiuse Path /Bikeway
- Longmont-to-Boulder Trail – Jay Road / Spine Road Multiuse Path
What Has The Tax Funded To Date?
According to a Boulder County presentation in mid-2022, the 0.1% sales tax has funded the following basic infrastructure projects since 2001: https://assets.bouldercounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cpp-public-meeting-sales-tax-presentation-english-20220614.pdf
- 97 miles of paved road shoulder
- 13 intersection safety improvements
- 23 miles of new regional trails
- 9 transit route support projects
- 6 new pedestrian underpasses
What Is The Likely Breakdown Between Roadway Projects and Other Modes?
According to this very basic graphic from Boulder County, the intended breakdown of roadway funding vs. other modes would not change greatly if 1C passes, compared to how funding has been used in the past.
Pro:
- Transportation is a core function of government, and this measure will provide consistent funding for important safety and mobility projects throughout Boulder County.
- This measure would be a tax extension, not a new tax, so overall tax rates won’t increase from where they are now due to this measure.
- Boulder County residents are physically active and want to commute by bicycle in addition to recreating, and this measure will improve local recreational path and trail infrastructure.
- This ballot measure would fund local transit services, mobility services and infrastructure projects representing most major modes of transportation, including roads and bridges, bike lanes, and recreational paths.
Con:
- Whether it’s called a “new tax” or not, 1C would extend this tax rate beyond when it would have expired, so it will cost County residents some money.
- Some residents might want more money from 1C devoted to road and bridge infrastructure, relative to bike or multiuse paths or alternative mode projects. Other residents may want the reverse.
- There’s been a longstanding controversy about the County not doing enough maintenance on roads in local subdivisions, and this measure doesn’t specifically say it will address the subdivisions with 1C money.
Richard’s Take
Vote YES. This is not meant to be a knock on any of the other measures on this year’s ballot, but transportation infrastructure needs constant upkeep due to wear and tear from vehicles and even the weather, plus local infrastructure desires and realities have changed somewhat since the tax was last extended in 2007. This all costs money, and $11 million per year can get a lot of projects completed.
I was a full-time journalist covering local issues in 2007, and remember very well that proponents said that ballot measure would deliver on building new bike lanes along roads in the county. After the ballot measure passed, I watched some of the new lanes come in, for example along Jay Road and Lefthand Canyon to Jamestown. These projects made riding safer for cyclists, and minimized momentary delays for motorists. I’m not saying there aren’t occasional conflicts between cyclists and motorists even with new lanes (chill out, everybody), but in general the additional room on the roads made things smoother in most cases.
Even though Boulder County residents are by and large interested in outdoor recreation, most residents still drive at least part-time. The plans for 1C recognize this as a reality, and the county intends to use about 55% of the new funding on roadway improvements. The sales tax is not the only source of funding for county road projects, but safety and resiliency projects funded by 1C will help enable smoother mobility and greater reliability.
Almost all of us use or benefit from transportation infrastructure in Boulder County to some extent, so in my opinion it’s worth it for County residents to chip in and keep our roads and trails up to par.
