AURORA, Colo. — Life is busy on Laredo Street in Aurora.
Judy Gonzalez Johnson and Diana Camacho have worked in the area for years, and say lately, they've noticed a crackdown on speeding — a longtime problem as the community continues to grow.
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"Last school year, and this school year, (we've seen) a big change," Gonzalez Johnson said.
But longtime neighbor Cindy Page said there's still work to be done when it comes to making the street safer.
"Well, I don't like crossing the roads. I pretty much stay as close as I can to the grass or whatever," Page said.
Aurora leaders want to continue efforts to slow traffic down and keep pedestrians safe on this street — part of the city's long-term initiative to address critical needs like these.
In June, the City Council approved three separate bond measure questions as part of the "Build Up Aurora" initiative. The initiative includes funding for 65 capital improvement projects. Altogether, the measures would authorize $264 million in bonds and a 0.325% sales tax increase — about 3 cents on a $10 purchase.
"I'm really glad that they're identifying (Laredo Street) as something to work on," Page said.
Issue 3C on the November ballot focuses on transportation infrastructure upgrades, like widening a portion of Gun Club Road, replacing the aging Peoria Street Bridge, and investing in dozens of other traffic and pedestrian safety measures across the city. The city would issue nearly $108 million worth of bonds — in other words, a 0.132% sales tax increase — to fund more than 40 of these projects across the city if Aurorans say yes.
"There's three schools behind us, and I guess they're taking it real serious by thinking about the kids, the pedestrians, parents, families," Camacho said.
But Councilmember Curtis Gardner told Denver7 many of these projects are unlikely to be funded in the next 10 to 15 years if the measure fails.
Some nonpartisan groups, like 'Citizens for No New Debt,' are against a sales tax increase, as they're opposed to any new government debt in cities across Colorado.
Other community members are on board.
"I think it's really needed. We spend a lot of money on other things, and we have so much more traffic than we did to even 10 years ago," Page said.
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