ConnectCOS

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Colorado Springs is launching a citywide visionary transportation study, ConnectCOS to help create a transportation plan that reflects the evolving needs of our community

The city has changed a lot since the last update to our major transportation plan (the Intermodal Transportation Plan) almost 20 years ago. Now is the time to review our current transportation system and develop a plan to ensure an efficient, accessible, safe, and well-connected network for people who drive, walk, bike and take public transit.

PlanCOS, the City’s comprehensive plan that was adopted by City Council in 2019, outlined big ideas to shape the future of our city. ConnectCOS will lay out the next 20 years of transportation planning, infrastructure, and improvements in Colorado Springs, bringing to life the goals, ideas and community values established in PlanCOS.

ConnectCOS is a year-long study that will involve a significant technical analysis, and robust community engagement effort, to identify and prioritize short and long-term transportation projects to ensure that people who live, work and play in Colorado Springs have an opportunity to participate in the study.

Draft Project Goals

There are six major goal areas that build on the full range of opportunities identified in ConnectCOS:

• Efficient
• Sustainable
• Reliable
• Accessible
• Connected
• Safe

Over the next several months the project team will continue to refine the goals of ConnectCOS to meet the needs of the community. Please check back soon to take our transportation survey that will help inform the final goals.  

Approximately 1,700 Colorado Springs residents responded to the ConnectCOS transportation survey from August 19 – September 21, 2020 (thank you for your participation!). A summary of the results is now available for your review. The survey focused on questions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the City’s current transportation system and solicited information related to travel habits and needs of our community. The results will support ConnectCOS planning efforts to establish a 20-year plan to meet evolving mobility needs of our community. Key highlights from the survey include:

• 98% of survey respondents have at least one vehicle, however, 65% of respondents feel it is extremely important to have transportation choices such as walking, biking, and taking the bus.
• The community identified the presence of numerous trails as a top strength of the City’s transportation network.
• Over 50% of respondents feel that it is easy to walk or use a wheelchair to get to the places they need to go within the City.

This survey is the first of many as the ConnectCOS project team continues to engage the community throughout 2021. Full results from this first survey will be shared at our upcoming virtual public meeting, scheduled for February 18, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Make sure to register here to learn more about the project!

Interactive Virtual Public Meeting

Thursday, February 18

We hope you were able to attend the virtual public meeting and learn more about the unique transportation needs and challenges facing the City of Colorado Springs as we continue to grow. For example, although most people travel by car, many recognize the need to get around town by bike, foot or transit. The 90-minute meeting provided other valuable input collected from a recent community-wide survey, as well as a high-level project overview. If you missed the meeting, materials are now available below. 

View Meeting Presentation | View Meeting Summary

Watch the Meeting

The ConnectCOS Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will serve as a sounding board and critical conduit between the broader community and project team during this collaborative transportation planning process. The representatives (as seen on the roster below) are from a wide variety of sectors and organizations based in Colorado Springs. They will help share project information to their networks and provide key insights at major technical milestones to assist the City in decision-making. The role and commitment of the CAC is an invaluable element of this year-long planning effort.

• CAC Meeting Summary - Dec. 3, 2020
• CAC Meeting Summary - June 24, 2020

CAC Roster