As your current and former mayors, we stand united in support of the 2C road improvement program, and we are asking you to join us in voting yes on 2C this election season.
Without raising taxes, voting yes on 2C will continue to fund road improvements across our city for the next 10 years, primarily focusing on neighborhood roads.
The 2C program uses a 0.57 percent sales tax — or 5.7 cents on a $10 purchase — to ensure our roads are smooth and safe. These funds are solely dedicated to improving our roads and accompanying curb and gutter.
To ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency, all finances are overseen by a Citizens Advisory Committee.
As we take an honest look at where we are now and where we want to be, it is important to look back to see how far we have come. Before 2C was first passed by voters in 2015, the city lacked a dedicated fund for road improvements. As a result, our roads were terrible. Almost two-thirds were in poor condition.
The good news is that thanks to you, the voters, over the last nine years, our roads have made steady progress and conditions have significantly improved. The number of roads rated “good” has doubled, vehicle damage claims against the city have decreased by almost 80%, and our reported potholes have decreased by more than 33%. During this short amount of time, we have repaved nearly 1,700 lane miles.
With the second largest road mileage in the state, second to only CDOT for responsible miles, and a roadway network totaling over 6,500 miles, we know we still have a long way to go. We also know 2C is the proven program to get it done.
If 2C is not renewed this November, we will lose the progress we have made. By 2035, roads rated “poor,” meaning they need a total reconstruction, would climb to 69%, compared with just 34% if 2C is renewed by voters in this election.
Progress depends on us deciding together to continue to fund road improvements through 2C.
Additionally, one of the important benefits of 2C is that it saves taxpayers significant money over the long term. Just like changing the oil in your car and rotating your tires lengthens the life and reliability of your car, 2C does the same for our roads. In fact, maintaining our roads through 2C — instead of having to do a total reconstruction because the road is in poor condition — saves the city $21 million annually. That’s $648 million saved over 30 years, which is the typical lifespan of a road, if properly maintained by programs like 2C.
Good roads are a staple of a great city. Our roads are what firefighters drive on their way to put out a house fire. They are what parents use when they pick up their kids from school. They are what you drive to get to work. Our roads connect our economy and our small business community to the resources they need to flourish. They support our military in carrying out its mission of defending our great country. They make our city a pleasant place for the millions of visitors to our region. Undeniably, our quality of life is dependent on a strong road infrastructure.
Our shared vision for Colorado Springs is to build a safe, economically prosperous, culturally rich, welcoming, and vibrant world-class American city — a city that matches its majestic scenery, a shining city at the foot of a great mountain. To accomplish this, we must continue to improve and maintain our infrastructure. We must have a robust, safe roadway network. We must support dedicated funding to maintain our roads.
Let’s keep our city’s positive momentum going. Please vote yes for smooth roads. Vote yes for 2C.
Yemi Mobolade is Colorado Springs’ 42nd mayor, serving his first term. John Suthers served as Colorado Springs’ 41st mayor from 2015-2023.
Yemi Mobolade is Colorado Springs’ 42nd mayor, serving his first term. John Suthers served as Colorado Springs’ 41st mayor from 2015-2023.