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Boulder staff brief TAB on 2026–31 CIP planning, grant leverage and inflation pressures
Summary
City staff reviewed the Transportation & Mobility capital improvement program (CIP), funding sources, major projects and how construction cost inflation is eroding purchasing power. Staff described a $118 million six‑year CIP (2025–2030) approved last year, reliance on sales and use tax, and use of grants such as SS4A, TIP, TAP and HSIP.
City of Boulder capital projects managers and budget staff briefed the Transportation Advisory Board on the department’s capital improvement program (CIP), major projects planned for the next six years, and how rising construction costs and reliance on sales and use tax affect the department’s ability to deliver projects.
The CIP overview was led by Garrett Slater, capital projects manager, with presentations from Karen Steiner (senior budget analyst) and program managers. Steiner summarized the adopted 2025–2030 CIP as approximately $118 million in planned spending: about $80.1 million in City of Boulder funds and $37.9 million in grant revenue, averaging roughly $18.1 million per year. Ongoing capital maintenance programs account for roughly $9 million per year of the CIP.
Why it matters: staff said the CIP depends heavily on sales and use tax revenues (more than 70% of city transportation fund revenues), making the program sensitive to revenue swings; they also warned construction costs in Colorado have outpaced general inflation and reduced the city’s purchasing power since 2019.
Highlights and projects
- Funding summary: $118 million planned in the 2025–2030 CIP; city funds about $80.1 million, grants about $37.9 million; ongoing capital maintenance comprises roughly 47% of that total.
- Grants and leverage: staff described multiple federal and state grant programs used to extend local funds, including TIP (via DRCOG), TAP, HSIP, Safe Routes to School, CDOT programs and SS4A. Karen Steiner noted grants often leverage local dollars (examples given of typical 80/20 grant matches).
- Inflation and buying power: staff showed Colorado construction cost indices that, cumulatively, have substantially increased real construction prices since 2019 (examples cited: 5% in 2019, 17% in 2021, 20% in 2022), producing notable declines in purchasing power for the same nominal CIP budget.
- Major projects called out by staff: Baseline Road phase 2 (construction anticipated in 2025; total $3.9 million, about $3.1 million from grant funds), North 30th preliminary design (Arapahoe to Iris; $1.3 million, $1.1 million grant), Broadway intersection improvements ($4.6 million total; $4.0 million grant), Central Avenue bridge replacement ($6.0 million, funded by the voter‑approved CCRS tax) and East Arapahoe final design ($2.9 million; $2.7 million from state/federal grants). Staff said construction timing ranges from 2025 through 2026 and beyond depending on design, permitting and grants.
Discussion and next steps
TAB members asked about diversifying funding sources, a potential transportation maintenance fee, and assumptions staff were using to cope with inflation. Garrett Slater and Charlotte Huskey (budget officer, Finance Department) said the city is pursuing a long‑term financial strategy that may include tax ballot options and is separately initiating a study to establish a legal nexus for a transportation maintenance fee; staff said the transportation department intends to present an update on the fee study at next month’s TAB meeting.
Staff noted the 2026–2031 draft CIP will be presented to TAB in May for review; TAB will hold a public hearing and provide a recommendation in June; planning board and city council review and adoption will follow later in the summer and autumn.
Ending
Staff urged TAB members to review the CIP packet materials and virtual open‑house content, and said they will continue to seek federal and state grants to leverage local funds while monitoring construction cost inflation and revenue trends.
