Commissioners Approves Ballot Measure for 29 Road Interchange

The Mesa County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a ballot measure (1A on the ballot) that will go before voters this November to fund the long-awaited 29 Road interchange project. The measure will not raise taxes but allow the County and the City of Grand Junction to bond for up to $80 million to complete this critical infrastructure improvement.

The 29 Road interchange has been a priority for Mesa County since the 1980s as part of a plan to complete a loop of roads designed to ease traffic congestion and improve accessibility throughout the area. This project is the final link in that loop, connecting 29 Road directly to Interstate 70, and includes expanding the road between Patterson and I-70 from two to four lanes and adding new pedestrian and bike paths.

“If you look at the science and the data, it shows the interchange will reduce greenhouse gases. It's going to increase miles traveled and reduce hours on the road. You get to go to more places and do more things with your family, and there will be less impact on the environment,” said Commissioner Cody Davis. “That's a win for everybody. Especially for our community, which wants more time to do what's important in life. And that’s what we hope to give them: the gift of time.”

Key points:

• The ballot measure allows the County to issue bonds without raising taxes. The funding will come from the County’s existing sales tax revenues.
• Numerous local and regional studies have identified the 29 Road interchange as essential to improving traffic flow and accessibility in the region.
• This project will make travel more accessible, reduce congestion, and enhance connectivity throughout Grand Junction and Mesa County.
• The project reflects decades of community planning and partnership between Mesa County and the City of Grand Junction.

If voters approve the measure in November, the final design process will begin to extend 29 Road north to I-70, build the interchange, and expand road capacity. The project will cost about $80 million, of which $12 million will go toward extending and modifying 29 Road north of Patterson Road and $68 million toward building the interchange itself.

“This is smart growth, and we want that area to thrive,” said Chair of the Board of Commissioners Bobbie Daniel. It's not going to take up any agricultural land or water. And for me, that is really important.”

Mesa County residents have been waiting decades for this improvement, and it’s finally within reach. This project will create a more connected transportation network that benefits our community.

“This will not increase taxes, but it will complete and finalize that loop of transportation and will reduce traffic congestion. I've joked and said the community has been talking about this since the early 1980s, which is before Commissioner Davis was born, but today we hear it's actually been since the 1950s, which is before I was born, which is a really, really long time ago,” said Commissioner Janet Rowland. “So I think it's time we let the voters decide what they want to do.”

Presentation slides from the Sept. 5 Public Hearing: