The Boulder County Badger

Louisville staff proposes $128.2 million capital plan for 159 projects

The proposed 2027–2032 plan expands beyond utilities to include streets, parks and other city projects, while a separate $289.1 million list remains unfunded.

Published Boulder County
A City of Louisville presentation slide shows a preliminary site plan for the Southern Colorado Water Treatment Plant residual-solids management project, with highlighted work areas and cost estimates.
A City of Louisville presentation slide shows a preliminary site plan for the Southern Colorado Water Treatment Plant residual-solids management project, with highlighted work areas and cost estimates.

Louisville staff is proposing a six-year capital plan totaling $128.16 million for 159 projects, after narrowing more than $400 million in initial requests. The city is also listing another $289.1 million in unfunded capital needs.

The proposed 2027–2032 Capital Improvement Program would direct $128,161,435 across city funds, including $52.76 million for the Water Utility Fund, $51.67 million for the Capital Projects Fund, $8.79 million for wastewater and $5.79 million for stormwater, according to the city’s proposed CIP presentation.

The plan is broader than the preliminary utility-focused proposal previously reported by Badger, which totaled about $86.5 million. It also includes streets, public-safety equipment, technology, parks, recreation and downtown work.

Staff reduced the Capital Projects Fund by a net $14.4 million from an earlier projection of about $66.1 million. Pavement resurfacing was reduced by $16.9 million to about $17.8 million over six years. The plan also defers or leaves unfunded some golf-course investments and other noncritical capital work.

Utility projects account for about $67.3 million of the proposed plan. Staff said future bonding is likely to be needed for large projects, including raw-water integration, solid-residuals work and the Sid Copeland administration building. That remains a planning projection, not an approved borrowing package.

The plan also schedules $4.2 million in additional funding for Downtown Front & Center Phase II, bringing the project’s total budget to $13.2 million. It schedules $3 million in 2027 and $1.2 million in 2028.

Separate from the funded proposal, Louisville’s unfunded 2027–2032 capital-needs list totals $289,131,791. About $263.8 million is assigned to the Capital Projects Fund. The list includes a $140.8 million citywide underpass project at four locations, $46.2 million in CO42 corridor enhancements, $23.25 million for City Services 2, a $20 million golf-course clubhouse replacement and $15.52 million for recreation-center decarbonization.

Staff recommended that the City Council support the proposed CIP for inclusion in the city manager’s final recommended budget. The city’s schedule calls for a final budget presentation and public hearing on Oct. 20, followed by consideration of the 2027–28 operating and capital budgets, including the 2027–2032 CIP, on Nov. 2. The plan remains proposed and has not been adopted by the council.