New group forms to oppose 29 Road/I-70 interchange ballot measure
Concerned citizens of Mesa County announced September 23 that they have formed a local group called “No on 29 Road Debt” to educate the public about the financial, transportation safety and road design problems with the 29 Road Interchange proposal and oppose the upcoming ballot issue, which will be Issue 1A on the ballot. Grand Junction City Councilor Dennis Simpson is an organizer of the group. Simpson is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). John Traylor is a spokesperson for the group.
No on 29 Road Debt is a non-partisan community organization dedicated to promoting transparency, safety, and financially responsible transportation plans in Mesa County. The group’s mission is to empower citizens with the knowledge they need this November to make a decision on this proposal. As the ballot issue approaches, No on 29 Road Debt will provide clear, factual information to help voters make an informed decision.
Costs are growing and will likely exceed the $173 million+ noted in the ballot issue, the group says. The project so far has no guarantee of state or federal financial support, and concerns raised by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will add to its already high price tag. 100% of the costs will fall on local taxpayers.
By taking on this amount of debt service, both the City and the County will damage their ability to undertake other infrastructure projects, like road maintenance, a police annex, fire stations, workforce housing, the Orchard Mesa pool replacement, and other community priorities.
https://annelandmanblog.com/2024/09/new-group-forms-to-oppose-29-road-i-70-interchange-ballot-measure/