Initiative 175 — to Divert Colorado Funds to Roads — Approved for November Ballot

This story by Sara Wilson appeared on Colorado Newsline on June 23, 2026.

Supporters gathered enough signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot in Colorado that would direct more state revenue to road construction, the secretary of state’s office announced Tuesday.

Colorado voters will decide whether all motor vehicle and gas tax revenue and two-thirds of sales tax for car parts should go into the state’s roads, diverting that money from other priorities like transit and environmental items. It has the potential to redirect more than $500 million per year to building and fixing roads, though Democratic lawmakers at the Capitol passed a bill this year to neutralize the amendment’s effects on the state budget if it passes by lowering the gas tax.

Backers of Initiative 175 submitted 189,355 signatures, about 143,000 of which were valid. That meets the threshold requirement of at least 2% of voters in each state Senate district.

“Coloradans are tired of dodging potholes and wondering why their tax money isn’t making their daily drive any safer or faster,” Tony Milo, the president of the Colorado Contractors Association said in a statement. “Now Colorado voters will finally have the opportunity to say enough is enough: we want money generated from roads to fix our roads — without raising taxes.”

Restore Our Roads, the political committee backing the measure, has spent about $1.5 million on the effort since forming in December, money that mostly went to the Denver-based firm Blitz Canvassing. The group is funded primarily by the Colorado Construction Industry Coalition — comprising the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association, Colorado Contractors Association, Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Colorado Stone, Sand & Gravel Association and the Portland Cement Association.

House Bill 26-1430, passed in the last days of the legislative session and signed by Gov. Jared Polis, will undercut most of the initiative if it passes. Democrats warned that the measure would hamstring other budget priorities, like health care and education, if that much money from the state’s general fund is redirected to roads. The bill cuts the state’s gas and special fuel taxes for four years to offset the state revenue that would need to go to roads under Initiative 175. It would also create a new fund for road maintenance using fees on oversized vehicles, an amendment adopted on the last day of the legislative session as an attempt to show good faith to initiative supporters.

If the initiative passes, road funding would remain largely consistent for four years and therefore not affect the state budget, and Colorado drivers would see lower gas taxes.

As a constitutional amendment, Initiative 175 will need 55% of the vote to pass.