Colorado Springs city leaders have decisively moved past rumors and longstanding infrastructure concepts by voting to remove a controversial westward extension of Constitution Avenue from the city’s master transportation plan, according to local reporting by KOAA News5. The 8–1 vote by the City Council effectively halts any consideration of pushing the roadway westward to Interstate 25, bringing a wave of relief to central neighborhoods that spent months mobilizing against the proposal.
For months, residents in established areas like the Old North End pushed back against the draft ConnectCOS 20-year transportation plan, which initially floated the idea of connecting I-25 to Union Boulevard via a non-stop expressway. Community members and city officials alike pointed out that the project would have disrupted quiet neighborhoods, increased noise and traffic pollution, and impacted local property values near the Legacy Loop and two nearby schools.
Neighborhood Pushback and Council Action
Local opposition coalesced around protecting the character of central Colorado Springs. Tom Murawski, a resident living near the proposed project footprint, voiced strong opposition to the original draft, telling KOAA News5 that the multi-lane thoroughfare would have heavily impacted local quality of life with thousands of vehicles passing daily. City leaders ultimately heeded these warnings during public hearings.
District 5 Councilwoman Nancy Henjum echoed those neighborhood concerns during deliberations, noting that adding another major road tends to induce traffic demand rather than solve underlying gridlock. Henjum pointed out that the concept of extending Constitution Avenue dated back to the 1960s, but community resistance has remained steadfast across decades.
Transforming the Corridor into a Greenway
Rather than moving forward with the expressway concept, the amended 20-year transportation plan drops the Constitution Avenue extension entirely. Instead, city leaders are eyeing the footprint for a new greenway and park space. Henjum explained that the vision involves creating a non-vehicular corridor dedicated to walking, hiking, biking, and other recreational activities for residents spanning from the Old North End and central areas all the way out to Powers Boulevard.
While the Constitution Avenue extension is off the table, the broader ConnectCOS planning process continues to examine other methods for improving east-west mobility across the city, including potential enhancements along Uintah Street and Fillmore Street.
Next Steps and Community Response
Following the initial 8–1 vote, the Colorado Springs City Council is scheduled to hold a second reading and final vote on the comprehensive transportation plan in mid-March, as reported by KOAA News5.
Reflecting on the council’s decision to listen to grassroots opposition, Murawski described the outcome as local democracy in action, expressing renewed trust in municipal government.
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