Dear Editor,

Extending Boulder County’s current countywide .01% sales tax for transportation and mobility is critical to meeting the mobility, climate and equity goals of the residents of Boulder County.

The projects and programs included in the project list found at https:// assets.bouldercounty.gov/wp-content/ uploads/ 2022/ 07/ Reso- 22- 048- Transportation-tax-extension-proposal. pdf reflect input from all communities in Boulder County. They are focused on improving safety for cyclists, pedestrians, motorists and transit riders in the major corridors connecting us to each other and the region. Mobility and safety improvements for all modes of travel are slated in the Diagonal/CO 119, Arapaho/ CO 7, US 287, CO 66, and South Boulder Road corridors, as well as on county roads. Continuing the sales tax at current levels will result in improved road safety for all users, better and more affordable access for mobility limited/senior residents, better regional commuting options for workers, CU students, and faculty, and more multimodal options for visitors to communities throughout the county.

The revenue generated during the first 15 years of the extension will provide important services to mountain communities. These services include on-demand transit service for mountain communities, fare-free commuter services between Gold Hill, Salina and Boulder on the Gold Hill Climb, transit between Lyons and Boulder during peak hours, and continuation of shuttle service to the Hessie Trailhead.

Throughout Boulder County, low- income, mobility-impaired and underserved portions of our communities rely on the mobility services funded by the current sales tax for connection with their doctors, jobs, and family, and as a lifeline for engagement with their communities. The tax funds many of the county’s local transit and shuttle routes that are filling the gap from reduced service by the RTD. On the plains, this includes Ride Free Lafayette, a portion of the Hop funding, and the Eldorado Canyon State Park Shuttle that operates in tandem with the City of Boulder’s Chautauqua or Park- to-Park Shuttle. All of this is supported in part through the county’s existing Transportation Sales Tax.

If the voters don’t extend this sales tax, Boulder County will be unable to address our transportation-related safety, mobility, equity, climate change, air quality and economic sustainability challenges. In addition, without this sales tax Boulder County will not have the funding to provide the matching funds that are required to secure the significant state and federal funds that are available to address these challenges. Boulder County would be limited to performing basic maintenance on the existing network. Living, working and visiting in Boulder County will become more challenging and expensive than is currently the case.

Developing better mobility between our communities and the rest of the region for all of our community members is critical to accomplishing our climate change, air quality, safety, equity, and economic sustainability goals. Boulder County Commissioners urge Boulder County voters to vote “yes” on Issue 1c.

Claire Levy

Boulder County Commissioner