With years of deferred maintenance and not enough funding, some Arapahoe County roads are not getting the repairs they need and are quickly falling apart. County leaders say it's in part due to a major shortfall with the overall county budget and inflation. However, the county hopes that additional revenue generated by the passage of a ballot measure last November might help make much-needed road improvements.

The county's 2024 "Annual Report and Infrastructure Report Card" this May shares more information about the status of the county's roads.

The annual report assesses Arapahoe County's $1.7 billion in infrastructure, including roads and bridges, traffic signals, signs and guardrails.

With more than 800 miles of roads to maintain within Arapahoe County, the report shows 40% of county roads were in "poor" or "very poor" condition in 2024. The other 60% of county roads were in "excellent, good or fair" condition, with the goal being 85%

"It's not a huge shock," said Commissioner Jessica Campbell of District 2. " We've been in a budget shortfall for a while and falling behind. As we talked to our constituents, there was about $316.6 million of deferred maintenance last as of last year."

Campbell says, for about 25 years, the county was constrained by the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) which limits how much tax revenue the government can keep. Arapahoe County was one of few counties out of 64 in the state that were constrained by TABOR. With voters passing ballot measure 1A in November, the county is now released from spending limits imposed by TABOR starting this year.

"We weren't able to fully benefit from the growth that was coming in, and so as growth was coming in, and our tax dollars did not keep up with the needs, and the demand, and the wear and tear," Campbell continued.

Record inflation, demand from residents and a growing community has also led to roads steadily deteriorating and maintenance being delayed for years.

"It just is going to continue to degrade over time, and those repairs become more and more expensive over time," Campbell said. "So then it becomes harder and harder to catch up."

County leaders say, while the passing of 1A is a step in the right direction, an additional $124 million would be needed to bring every asset to a "good" rating or better.

"Even with 1A passing, things are still very tight, and we're facing budget constraints and shortfalls in different new other areas now," Campbell said. "So at least now we have some influx of dollars that can help us move forward on those matters within the ballot language."

Campbell said the budget is formalized in a study session and then is discussed in October and passed in December. That's when the public works department gets a better understanding of how much more funding the department will have.

Residents are also invited to Dove Valley Regional Park June 6 for a public works and development "play-date." There will be machines for kids to climb and interact with. It's also an opportunity for parents and residents to get a better understanding of road maintenance and the work done by the public works department.  

The county has also created a resident advisory committee to ensure funds are spent in alignment with what constituents have as a priority. The committee's first meeting is also happening in June.

"The report is a snapshot of all the incredible work that our public works department is doing, but we want to do better, and we want to do more," Campbell said. "I think that's part of the urgency and why we as a board felt it necessary to refer a measure to our voters in 2024, not just because of infrastructure and roads, but public safety and public health and our housing issues. There are a lot of issues in the county, and we are here to take care of them."