DENVER — Denver voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve Ballot Measure 2A, part of the $950 million “Vibrant Denver” bond package, which would fund more than $441 million in transportation and mobility projects across the city — including major upgrades in the Santa Fe Arts District.
The measure is one of five (2A - 2E) in the bond package, which city finance officials estimate could cost taxpayers nearly $2 billion to repay over time. Supporters say the projects would improve safety and access, while opponents warn against adding to Denver’s long-term debt.
Earlier this month, Denver7's Natalie Chuck addressed misconceptions about Ballot Issue 2A and broke down what voters should know about the ballot initiative.
You can watch her reporting in the video player below:
In the Santa Fe Arts District, $29 million would go toward landscaping, public spaces, lighting, and widening sidewalks — improvements that Andrea Barela, president and CEO of NEWSED Community Development Corporation, says are long overdue.
“Santa Fe Drive and our sidewalks especially, are not safe,” Barela said. “They’re very narrow. If you're down here on a busy night … There’s barely any room for wheelchairs [and] strollers. It’s very uncomfortable.”
Barela said the area’s infrastructure hasn’t seen significant updates in decades.
“We have the worst tree canopy in the city,” she said. “We literally have crumbling curbs … tripping hazards all over the place.”
She said the Santa Fe Streetscape project has spent years preparing for upgrades.
“We are shovel-ready for this project, and we see 2A as a big instrument to help get us there,” Barela said. “It’s for everyone. It’s for all of us … for the folks that live here, for the kids that make their way to West High School, and for visitors.”
Measure 2A would also direct $15 million to improvements along Evans Avenue between South Downing Street and Colorado Boulevard, including new pedestrian crossings and signal changes to protect cyclists and walkers. Other projects include repairs to the 6th and 8th Avenue viaducts.
The City of Denver shared the following flyer explaining what the bond package will fund:
Jason Bailey, founder of “Citizens for No New Debt,” opposes the measure, arguing that relying on bond financing is wasteful.
“Government debt is counterproductive,” Bailey said. “Borrow a billion, pay back two billion … The issue is not whether or not we need bridges or roads. Of course, we need bridges and roads. [But] when we do not use debt, this will give us more money to spend on Denver Health. This will give us more money for the infrastructure around this city.”
Bailey said taxpayers end up paying far more due to interest.
“The banks are going to take every single penny back, plus twice … it’s just math,” he said. “Don’t expect us to pay twice as much for the road.”
The Vibrant Denver bond campaign says the projects would not require a tax increase and that the city is operating within a debt capacity voters have already approved.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Politics
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