Introduction
This section serves to summarize the various ways in which the Regional Corridor Network is, can, or could be funded and implemented. The section includes quick wins, prioritization, and project lists for the segments of Regional Corridors that are funded and budgeted or planned. Below is a Summary Table of Recommendations in the previous chapter.
| Recommendation | Type | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CONNECTIVITY | ||
| Adopt Regional Corridors Network | Planning & Capital | $-$$$$ |
| Identify And Pursue Big Lift Projects | Planning & Capital | $$$$ |
| Reserve ROW In Future Roadway Corridors | Planning | $$ |
| Ada Transition Plans | Planning | $ |
| Complementary Programmatic Projects | Planning & Capital | $$ |
| CONTINUITY | ||
| Develop Regional Design Guidelines | Planning | $ |
| Local Programmatic Gaps Identification | Planning | $ |
| Update Local Development Review Processes | Administrative | $ |
| COMFORT | ||
| Install Amenities At Strategic Locations In Regional Corridor Network | Planning & Capital | $-$$ |
| Develop Amenities Brochure For External Investments | Planning | $ |
| Explore Operations & Maintenance Agreements | Administrative | $ |
| CLARITY | ||
| Create a Terminology & Consistency Committee | Administrative | $ |
| Adopt Common Language | Administrative | $ |
| Adjust Local Ordinances And Policies | Administrative | $ |
| Create Wayfinding Committee | Administrative | $ |
| Develop Wayfinding Plan | Planning | $-$$ |
| Create Shared Micromobility Committee | Administrative | $ |
| Consolidate Regional Active Transportation Data | Administrative | $ |
Quick Wins
A logical and pertinent aspect of implementing the recommendations in this plan is for jurisdictions to build on projects that are already being budgeted and completed around the region. There are many projects in local Capital Improvement Plans, the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) list, and other funding sources. The region should utilize this momentum and hold projects in the identified corridors to higher standards represented in this plan.
Funding Sources and Mechanisms
Some of the common funding sources and mechanisms for active transportation projects are:
- Federal funds: Common examples include Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG), Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ), Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), and Recreational Trails Program (RTP). Federal funds have specific eligibility criteria and reporting requirements.
- State funds: Programs such as Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund (MMOF), Colorado Lottery Funds, FASTER Safety Funds, and Hazard Elimination Safety Funds. State funds are also competitive and have different application cycles and processes. Some require a local match or leverage other funding sources.
- Local funds: General funds, sales taxes, property taxes, bond measures, impact fees, and special districts. Local funds are under the control of local jurisdictions and can be used to match federal or state funds or fund projects independently.
- Private funds: These include donations, sponsorships, foundations, and public-private partnerships. Private funds can supplement public funds or provide seed money for projects. They may also have less bureaucracy and allow for more innovation than public funds.
- Other funds: Alternative financing mechanisms such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF), value capture, and transportation demand management (TDM) fees. These funds can generate revenue but will require coordination with other agencies or stakeholders.
Case Study
One example of a successful funding strategy for an active transportation project is the Legacy Loop Trail in Colorado Springs. The 10-mile loop trail around the downtown area connected existing trails, parks, and neighborhoods. The project cost $18 million and was funded by multiple sources, including:
- $7.1 million from the Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) Sales Tax
- $4.6 million from the City of Colorado Springs General Fund
- $3.8 million from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) Capital Program
- $2.5 million from various grants and donations, including the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), the Colorado Health Foundation, the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Resilient Communities Program, and the Friends of the Legacy Loop.
Funding Priorities
As mentioned in the Connectivity section of the Recommendations Chapter, there are four regional priorities that provide a core backbone to the entire network. From these, the highest priorities for the region for regional pursuit of Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund (MMOF), Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP), and other grant opportunities are the Sand Creek Regional Trail and the Plains to Peaks corridor.
Plan Progress & Performance
The region should track and report on various metrics to measure the success of implementing the recommended active transportation infrastructure. These metrics are in two main categories: Plan Progress or Integrated Metrics.
Plan Progress
Plan progress metrics measure how much of the regional corridor network has been planned, secured, and built according to the desired cross section standards. These metrics could include:
- Percent of regional corridors with some planning efforts
- Percent of regional corridors with ROW secured
- Miles of regional corridors built
- Miles at or above desired cross section minimum
- Number of destinations (schools, parks, businesses, etc.) within a quarter mile of a built regional corridor
- Percent of regional corridors with signage & wayfinding
- Percent of regional corridors with lighting or amenities
- Percent of regional corridors with maintenance and operations plans
Integrated Metrics
Integrated metrics measure how the regional corridor network connects to other trails, modes, and destinations, and how it contributes to the overall active transportation culture and benefits in the region. These metrics could include:
- Number of trail connections to regional corridors
- Density of regional corridor connections
- League of American Bicyclist Bicycle Friendly Community Grade
- People for Bikes rankings
- Walk Score
- Number of bike share and scooter share stations along regional corridors
- Number of transit stops and park-and-ride facilities along regional corridors
- Mode share of active transportation in the region
- Greenhouse gas emissions reduction from active transportation in the region
- Health and economic benefits of active transportation in the region
Project Lists
This section will walk through the funded and budgeted projects that are identified and encapsulated by the regional corridor network. As a note, most Regional Corridors are comprised of previously locally planned projects. The lists below indicate that those planned projects have some funding associated with the components of the Regional Corridors.
Funded
The following programs and associated projects have been marked for at least partial funding and budgeted in the corresponding mechanism.
TIP/STIP
The PPACG Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is required by state and federal laws to be fiscally constrained. The TIP is the mechanism by which PPACG reports the funding programmed, thus all projects in the TIP have some level of funding allocated to them. The Colorado State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is overseen by CDOT, and includes all the TIP projects from other areas across the state that have been pushed up to the state level. Projects from the TIP list that overlap regional corridors are shown in Figure 15.
PPRTA
The Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA) is a local initiative that allocates a portion of sales tax dollars to a specific program of projects. Each municipality and agency within the boundary put projects forward for funding and all projects were then voted on for approval. The third 10-year iteration of this program, PPRTA 3 was approved in November 2022 with a 80% approval rate. The PPRTA program is estimated to generate around $100M/year in transportation related funding and is allocated at 55% for capital projects, 35% for maintenance, and 10% for transit specifically. PPRTA 3 purposely allocated significant funding to missing sidewalk and trail system programs as well as significant projects including grade separated crossing of major roadway facilities.
Further explainer of how/if PPRTA dollars can be utilized for any/many of the projects that would be included in the Regional Corridors will be included in the Funding Sources and Mechanisms section.
