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Experience Downtown Colorado Springs | Master Plan Update

Thank you for being here! We are eager to hear your input about the future of Downtown Colorado Springs as the Downtown Partnership and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) updates the 2016 Master Plan, Experience Downtown. Scroll through the following boards and click the boards to respond to prompts for each of the Priority Topic Areas. 
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Boudewijn Jun 5 2025 at 11:05AM on page 5

Suggestion
Plenty of European Cities and also US cities have banned cars from Downtown spaces. I think trying a pilot with no cars on the main street Tejon could be very interesting. It will increase walkability and safety. People can park on streets such as Nevada. There is also more space for extended green spaces. Direct all traffic to I25 on Platte, instead of Bijou. It is remarkable there is such a big road going through a downtown space.

Ima resident May 30 2025 at 5:37AM on page 1

Concern
Downtown smells like the Las Vegas sewage treatment plant.

.

Zuri Horowitz May 29 2025 at 11:23PM on page 2

Yes

Taylor May 29 2025 at 6:02PM on page 6

Agreement
Strongly agree. More events downtown benefits local residents and businesses.

Taylor May 29 2025 at 6:01PM on page 5

Agreement
Absolutely! There should be multiple full service grocery stores downtown to support continued growth

Taylor May 29 2025 at 6:00PM on page 5

Agreement
Strongly agree! I am excited about additional growth downtown but only if proper infrastructure comes with it. If we want to live more densely and have a more walkable downtown, we need to ensure people who live downtown have access to food and other convenience items. Requiring groceries, coffee shops, and other stores on first floors of apartment buildings downtown would be fantastic.

Taylor May 29 2025 at 5:58PM on page 4

Agreement
Absolutely agree! Shade trees will further increase walkability in the summer months. I currently avoid walking to downtown during hot days now because there is not enough shade.

Taylor May 29 2025 at 5:57PM on page 4

Agreement
Strongly agree! There is so much unused potential between Colorado College and the developed downtown. Better integrating the two spaces would connect more people with local businesses

Taylor May 29 2025 at 5:55PM on page 3

Suggestion
The Zeb is great! it would be helpful to expand the range slightly so that people can more easily access downtown without a car

Taylor May 29 2025 at 5:54PM on page 3

Concern
I never have issues finding parking down town. if anything, there is already too much focus on parking

Taylor May 29 2025 at 5:48PM on page 2

Suggestion
Strongly agree, but please consider low-water and eco-friendly options, not just high-water grass

Robert White May 29 2025 at 2:44PM on page 4

Concern
Enforce noise standards. Loud motorcycles ( and sometimes cars) greatly affect the quality of downtown experiences. Keep the noise down.

Robert White May 29 2025 at 2:39PM on page 4

Suggestion
Many of the sidewalks downtown are heavily stained and at times look nasty. Anything, such as different surfaces or more aggressive cleaning, would make walking in the area better.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:28PM on page 7

Institute height regulations for downtown to preserve the natural views that Palmer seleceted as the main attraction of the city.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:26PM on page 5

Legislate height regulations for downtown to preserve the natural views selected by Palmer as the main attraction of the city.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:24PM on page 6

Agreement
Agree.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:23PM on page 6

Agreement
Agree.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:23PM on page 6

Agreement
Agree.100%.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:21PM on page 6

Agreement
Iconic venue. Make available for IFSOC, YDA, film festivals, etc.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:19PM on page 6

Agreement
Iconic venue. Should be restored through Special District funding.

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:18PM on page 6

Agreement
Agree

Mark May 28 2025 at 10:16PM on page 4

A self-cleaning restroom like the one in OCC would be great.

Carla May 28 2025 at 6:01PM on page 5

Suggestion
The corridor along Kiowa between Sierra Madre and Cascade has very little street activation and is likely responsible for a lot of the security concerns at the Penrose Library. The buildings are very car-centric and have nothing enjoyable for people on foot.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:59PM on page 2

Suggestion
In the "Envision Shooks Run" corridor plan (link), much like the COS Creek Plan, which focuses on the Monument and Fountain Creek system, it seeks to improve the floodplain, enhance neighborhood connections, and encourage redevelopment oriented toward Shooks Run Creek. Future community and creek connections should be included in this Downtown Master Plan, at a minimum, where the downtown area intersects with Shooks Run Creek between Kiowa and Cucharras Streets.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:42PM on page 4

Suggestion
Downtown needs centralized, city-managed trash and recycling. The current system causes potholes from excessive trash pickup vehicle use, illegal dumping, and puts extra strain on Code Enforcement and Parks. Clean, safe streets require coordinated waste service—make it part of the Master Plan!

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:40PM on page 4

Suggestion
We need more bioswales, rain gardens, and other Low Impact Development (LID) measures used as standard practice here!

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:40PM on page 4

Suggestion
The City's Streetlight GIS/tagging system works great for maintenance, and a similar system should be used for trees. I see many that are struggling due to damage by cars, broken irrigation, lack of mulch, etc.

D. B May 28 2025 at 5:38PM on page 2

Agreement
Since living near fountain creek, I have been saying how much of a destination it could be if they put some work into it. Think the River Walk in Pueblo, on a smaller scale. It has some beautiful scenery around it!

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:38PM on page 3

Suggestion
Need to reconnect the street grid across the old Drake Power Plant property into the Greenway trail.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:37PM on page 3

Agreement
The new car-free plaza along Moreno between Sierra Madre and Sahwatch is incredible!
in reply to Carla's comment

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:37PM on page 3

Suggestion
Correction - there are only two (2) east-west crossings (PPA and Costilla) across 9 blocks! Fountain Blvd does not go through Nevada Ave.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:35PM on page 5

Suggestion
The Colorado Ave Corridor from Cascade west to the other side of I-25 is pretty inhospitable and uninteresting to anyone on foot. Broken/dead trees, empty buildings, or occupied buildings with zero entrances/street level activation cause drivers to move fast through here and people walking/rolling to cling desperately to the narrow sidewalks.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:34PM on page 3

Suggestion
Downtown should be a Parking Benefit District (PBD), allowing revenue from on-street parking to finance public services on the metered streets, including all the mobility ideas presented on this page, and especially the function of the Zeb shuttle. This allows folks paying for parking to "see the impact" of the fees they're paying.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:31PM on page 2

Suggestion
Identify Westside neighborhood (typical, all maps)

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:30PM on page 2

Suggestion
Identify Hillside neighborhood (typical, all maps)

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:29PM on page 3

Suggestion
Map is blurry, fix for final draft

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:28PM on page 3

Suggestion
Shooks Run and the old RR spur are a big barrier to folks trying to access downtown from southeast/hillside - is there any appetite for reconnecting the street grid for bike/pedestrian or vehicular uses east-west across the creek from Pikes Peak Ave down to Fountain Blvd? There are only 3 east-west crossings (PPA, Costilla, and Fountain) across 9 blocks!

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:25PM on page 5

Agreement
100% agree. The Transit Mix plant and Costilla connection to downtown are long in need of an upgrade.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:24PM on page 6

Suggestion
COS desperately needs a Botanical Garden or something similar!

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:23PM on page 6

Suggestion
The local obsession with "historic preservation" can become excessive when there are insufficient resources for restoring or maintaining a building (a perfect example of this is the City Auditor featured on this same page!). Historic buildings are lovely, but they take a lot of work to restore and keep up. While the most sustainable building is an existing one, the plan and future approaches for historic preservation should be practical and efforts should be made toward public-private partnerships, land trusts, and adaptive reuse. Not all "old" buildings have value just by nature of being old.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:18PM on page 5

Agreement
Agree! The old Gazette/St. Francis sites and surrounding areas look very run down and inactive.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:17PM on page 5

Suggestion
The corridor along Colorado Ave between Wahsatch and Pikes Peak has very few buildings; those that aren't vacant do not engage much with regular foot traffic.

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:16PM on page 5

Suggestion
Pikes Peak & Weber used to be quite vibrant with The Well food hall, now with that closed, it's apparent that all corners of this intersection sit quiet with inactive storefronts or seemingly vacant buildings (CenturyLink & AT&T large brutalist building at 310 E Pikes Peak Ave taking up over quarter of the block and another quarter occupied by surface parking).

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:12PM on page 5

Concern
City Aud is on Kiowa at Weber, not Bijou. However, the First Presbyterian Church property has very low activity and engagement being only active on Sunday mornings. I've even seen an armed(?!) security officer patrolling it in the mornings. That space needs to be better activated!

Carla May 28 2025 at 5:00PM on page 4

Suggestion
Regular maintenance services, such as pressure washing (which I've seen happen to the benches and trash cans near the courthouse!), street and sidewalk sweeping, and sidewalk snow shoveling and de-icing, are crucial in making the public realm more inviting. Tree wells should be constructed with underground soil cell systems, where possible, and maintained with improved mulching, irrigation, and tree grates to promote healthier vegetation.

Carla May 28 2025 at 4:56PM on page 3

Agreement
Weber is a fantastic bikelane!!!

Carla May 28 2025 at 4:55PM on page 3

Suggestion
Pikes Peak Ave and its continuation as Colorado Ave have unnecessarily wide lanes and possibly even too many lanes. I drive it regularly (living just north of Memorial Park) and there is rarely enough traffic to warrant all that space; vehicles are often speeding and driving recklessly due to the wide-open feel. The road does not change much in shape/size as it enters the 25mph zone downtown. It does not feel safe to walk along and the lights take a long time to change once the pedestrian signal button is pushed.

Carla May 28 2025 at 4:53PM on page 3

Suggestion
Nevada and Platte should be a roundabout.

Carla May 28 2025 at 4:52PM on page 3

Suggestion
Riding a bike along Bijou across I-25 in either direction is borderline terrifying. This overpass needs to be reworked to encourage slower, safer vehicle speeds and better accessibility for people walking and rolling.

Carla May 28 2025 at 4:51PM on page 3

Suggestion
Agree. There should be a wholesale reduction of roadway features that encourage the unsafe movement of cars when it comes to pedestrians. Slip/free-movement turn lanes, multiple turn storage lanes, and acceleration/deceleration lanes do not belong in an urban area with people walking & rolling.
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