Colorado Springs Colorado CO Warrant Search

Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in the South Central portion of Central Colorado. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located 61 miles (98 km) south of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. At 6,035 feet (1839 m) the city sits over one mile (1.6 km) above sea level, though some areas of the city are significantly higher. Colorado Springs is situated near the base of one of the most famous American mountains, Pikes Peak, at the eastern edge of the southern Rocky Mountains.With an estimated population of 414,358 in 2009, it is the second most populous city in the state of Colorado, behind Denver, and the 46th most populous city in the United States, while the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated population of 626,227. The city covers 186.1 square miles (482 km2), making it Colorado's largest city in area. Colorado Springs was selected as the No. 1 Best Big City in 'Best Places to Live' by Money magazine in 2006, and placed number one in Outside's 2009 list of America's Best Cities. General Palmer, city founder Colorado Springs was founded on July 31, 1871 by General William Palmer, with the intention of creating a high-quality resort community, and was soon nicknamed 'Little London' because of the many English tourists who came. Nearby Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods made the city's location a natural choice.Within two years his flagship resort the Antlers Hotel opened, welcoming U.S. and international travelers as well as health-savvy individuals seeking the high altitude and dry climate, and Palmer's visions of a thriving, quality resort town were coming true. Soon after, he founded the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, a critical regional railroad. He maintained his presence in the city's early days by making many grants or sales of land to civic institutions. Palmer and his wife saw Colorado Springs develop into one of the most popular travel destinations in the late 19th century United States.The town of Palmer Lake and a geographic feature called the Palmer Divide (and other more minor features) are named after him, and a bronze sculpture of Palmer on a horse is prominently displayed downtown in front of Palmer High School, at the center of a busy intersection. Old Colorado City and the Pikes Peak Gold Rush Colorado Springs' present downtown location, where General Palmer first founded the city, was partly due to Palmer's dislike of nearby rough-and-ready Colorado City (now called Old Colorado City, and not to be confused with present-day Colorado City) and its many saloons. Palmer ensured his new planned city stayed alcohol free by buying a huge tract of land to the east of Colorado City. Legally, Colorado Springs stayed dry until the end of Prohibition in 1933, but practically, alcohol was readily available. Conveniently located druggists advertised whiskey, ale, stout and beer for 'medicinal purposes.'In its earliest days of 1859–1860, Colorado City was a major hub for sending mining supplies to South Park, where a major strike in the Pike's Peak Gold Rush was found. After the Cripple Creek gold discovery in 1891, ore mills in Colorado City processed much of the gold ore at the Golden Cycle Mill using Palmer's railroads. The affluent, who made money from the gold rush and industry, did not stay in Colorado City but built their large houses in the undeveloped downtown area of Colorado Springs (i.e. Wood Ave.). Early pictures show several large stone buildings like Colorado College, St. Mary's, the library, and the county courthouse sitting in large empty plains. This is unique during this period, to pre-build a city's civic infrastructure in stone with wide streets laid out laid out before there was a population to justify the expense.Colorado City remained the county seat of El Paso County until 1873, when the courthouse moved to Colorado Springs. Colorado City was the location of a 1903 labor strike that spread to Cripple Creek and eventually led to the Colorado Labor Wars. W. S. Stratton, early benefactor In 1891, Winfield Scott Stratton discovered and developed one of the richest gold mines on earth in the nearby Cripple Creek and Victor area, and was perhaps the most generous early contributor to those communities and to Colorado Springs.After he made his fortune he declined to build a mansion as the other gold rush millionaires were doing; instead, in later years, he lived in a house in Colorado Springs he had built when he was a carpenter in pre-gold days.In Colorado Springs, he funded the Myron Stratton Home for housing itinerant children and the elderly, donated land for City Hall, the Post Office, the Courthouse (which now houses the Pioneer Museum), and a park; he also greatly expanded the city's trolley car system and built the Mining Exchange building, and gave to all three communities in many other ways, great and small.As Stratton's generosity became known, he was also approached by many people looking for money, and he became reclusive and eccentric in his later years. Spencer Penrose, early benefactor Spencer Penrose also made his mark on Colorado Springs in its early years—though not until two decades after its founding. Penrose started as a ladies-man and an adventurer. After making a fortune in the gold fields of nearby Cripple Creek in the 1890s, he married Julie Villiers Lewis McMillan, and settled down.Penrose used his wealth to invest in other national mineral concerns and financed construction of the Broadmoor Hotel, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, the Pikes Peak Highway, what is now known as Penrose-St Francis Health Services, and established the El Pomar Foundation, which still oversees many of his contributions in Colorado Springs today. End of the Colorado Gold Rush and the start of health tourism The flow of gold and silver ebbed as the decades passed, and Colorado City's economic fortunes faded with it; the miners and those who processed the ore left or retired. Because of the healthy[citation needed] natural scenic beauty, mineral waters, and extremely dry climate, Colorado Springs became a tourist attraction and popular recuperation destination for tuberculosis patients. The healthy waters in Colorado Springs contained so much natural fluoride that some peoples’ teeth developed Colorado Stain. In 1909, Dr. Frederick McKay of Colorado Springs discovered the Colorado Stain connection and that a little fluoride added to water would prevent cavities, according to the permanent health exhibit at the Pioneers Museum. On June 14, 1950 Colorado Springs annexed Roswell which was founded in 1888 by coal miners and became a neighborhood. Other locations such as Austin Bluffs, Broadmoor, Woodman Valley, Pikeview, Papeton, Knob Hill, Ivywild, Stratton Meadows, Stratmoor, Elsmare, Cimarron Hills, Kelker, Stratmoor Hills, La Foret, Gleneagle, Skinners, and Colorado City (now called Old Colorado City) became part of Colorado Springs. Old Colorado City is located on the west side of Colorado Springs and is a historic district and on the National Register of Historic Places. Its old Victorian brick buildings and main street currently offer several tourist, boutique, and antique shops. Latter 20th century military boom Colorado Springs saw its first military base in 1942 shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked. For several years the city had been trying to attract a military installation to boost its flagging economy. In 1941, the city purchased 25,000 acres (100 km2) of what is now Fort Carson to try to lure a prospective Army installation. During this time the U.S. Army established Camp Carson near the southern borders of the city in order to train and house troops in preparation for World War II. It was also during this time that the Army began using Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. It was renamed Peterson Field and used as a training base for heavy bombers (the airport and base still share parts of the flightline).The Army expanded Camp Carson, a venture that increased growth in Colorado Springs and provided a significant area of industry for the city. Camp Carson was named for the Army scout General Christopher 'Kit' Carson, who explored the vast western frontier during the 19th century. After World War II the military stepped away from the Springs, Camp Carson was declining and the military was activating and deactivating Peterson Field irregularly. That all changed when the Korean War erupted. Camp Carson, which had declined to only 600 soldiers, was revitalized along with many other parts of the Springs. In 1951, the United States Air Defense Command moved to Colorado Springs and opened Ent Air Force Base (named for Major General Uzal Girard Ent, commander of the Ninth Air Force during World War II).After the Korean War, Peterson Field was renamed Peterson Air Force Base and was permanently activated. In 1954 Camp Carson became Fort Carson, Colorado Springs' first Army post. Later that same year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower selected Colorado Springs, out of 300 other sites around the nation, to be the site of the United States Air Force Academy. A new and growing Army post, an Air Force Base, and the Air Force's military academy together jump-started Colorado Springs' growth.The military boom continued and in 1963, NORAD's main facility was built in Cheyenne Mountain. This placed NORAD directly next to Colorado Springs and permanently secured the city's military presence. During the Cold War the city greatly expanded due to increased revenue from various industries and the prevailing military presence in the city. In the mid 1970s, Ent Air Force Base was shut down and later converted into the United States Olympic Training Center. Military presence was further increased in 1983 with the founding of Falcon Air Force Base (later changed to Schriever Air Force Base), a base primarily tasked with missile defense and satellite control. Fort Carson and Peterson are still growing and continue to contribute to the city's growth. Air Force Space Command is located on Peterson AFB. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 186.1 square miles (482.1 km²), of which 185.7 square miles (481.1 km²) is land and 0.4 square mile (1.0 km²) (0.21%) is water. Climate Colorado Springs features a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk). The city receives approximately 16.2 inches (41 cm) of annual precipitation, which includes rain and snow. Snowfall rarely occurs outside the months between October and May with an average snowfall of 42.7 inches (108 cm). Due to unusually low precipitation for several years after flooding in 1999, Colorado Springs enacted lawn water restrictions in 2002. These were lifted in 2005.January averages 28.1 °F (−2.2 °C), yet the city has relatively mild winters, with large snow accumulations in the downtown area relatively rare, a strong warming sun due to the altitude, and only occasional episodic periods of sub-zero cold snaps and blizzards from October 31 to March/April. Snow often melts very quickly in arid climates as well, which makes the winters mild. Summers are very warm and dry, with a July average of 69.6 °F (20.9 °C) and highs reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on 16 days per annum. The normal high temperatures during the day are in the mid 80's into the low 90's, with cooler days in the low 80's and upper 70's. Also very hot days can reach the mid to upper 90's pretty often.Colorado Springs is located on a flat plain just east of the Southern Rocky Mountains, which protects the city from extreme weather. The city is made up of the mountains to the west, the mountain divide to the north, high plains and scattered desert land to the east, and desert land to the south.The winters in Colorado Springs are normal to mild usually, with winter snow storms occurring, but the snow often melts by the mid-to-late afternoon. The usual high temperatures in the winter are in the mid to upper 40s, with the lows in the mid to upper teens. However, the mountains just west of the city can receive very large amounts of snow.The summers in Colorado Springs are generally hot and dry, but afternoon thunderstorms are common especially in July and August when the city receives the majority of its annual rainfall. The usual highs in the summer are in the mid to high 80s, with very hot days being in the low 90s. There are many relatively cool days in the upper 70s to low 80s.The hottest temperature ever recorded in Colorado Springs was 101 °F (38 °C) on June 7, 1874, and the coldest temperature ever recorded was −32 °F (−36 °C) on January 20, 1883. Although the coldest average monthly high temperature of the year in Colorado Springs has historically been January, in recent years December has had a colder average monthly high temperature.Colorado Springs is also one of the most active lightning strike areas in the United States. This natural phenomenon led Nikola Tesla to select Colorado Springs as the preferred location to build his lab and study electricity. Demographics The United States Census Bureau estimates that in 2008 the population of the City of Colorado Springs was 380,307, (47th most populous U.S. city), the population of the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area was 617,714 (84th most populous MSA), and the population of the Front Range Urban Corridor was 4,166,855.[citation needed]According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, the racial composition of Colorado Springs was as follows:White: 79.3% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 72.2%) Black or African American: 6.6% Native American: 0.8% Asian: 2.9% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.2% Some other race: 5.6% Two or more races: 4.6% Hispanic or Latino(of any race): 14.6%;Mexican Americansmade up 13.5% of the cities population. Source:Military impact on diversity: The diversity of the military populations has had a lasting impact on the ethnic and racial makeup of the Colorado Springs area. Residents with military backgrounds, including retirees and former dependents, come from a much broader[citation needed] population with wide-ranging[citation needed] backgrounds, ethnicities, international experiences and connections, bringing a diversity which would otherwise not be seen in the region.[citation needed]Impact of Non-military Hispanic and European Immigration: Earlier influxes of European and European-American settlers of largely German, Irish and Italian heritage as well as an ongoing influx of Hispanic immigrants primarily of Mexican and Central American heritage have also helped to increase diversity of the region.[citation needed]Native American population: Although comprising less than 1% of the current population, the local Native American population has links to the area going back thousands of years.[citation needed] Originally one of the homes of the Ute Indian Nation, descendants of Ute heritage continue to reside in greater Colorado Springs.[citation needed]As of the census of 2000 (limited only to the city limits and not including the very diverse Fort Carson area which many view as being a part of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area), there were 360,890 people, 141,516 households, and 93,117 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,942.9 people per square mile (750.2/km²). There were 148,690 housing units at an average density of 800.5/sq mi (309.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.66% White, 6.56% African American, 0.88% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 5.01% from other races, and 3.85% from two or more races. 12.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 141,516 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.06.In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.(Note: City statistics do not include the demographic influence of five local military bases).The median income for a household in the city was $45,081, and the median income for a family was $53,478. Males had a median income of $36,786 versus $26,427 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,496. About 6.1% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over. Government Colorado Springs is a council-manager government, with a mayor and city council that meets regularly to approve budgets, enact ordinances, and rule on land use, and a city manager who deals with the day-to-day aspects of running the city. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. The city council consists of the mayor and eight additional members, four of whom are elected from districts and four who are elected at large. Both council members and the mayor are elected to four year terms and may serve two terms in both positions. A vice mayor is elected by council members from within their ranks.On November 2, 2010 Colorado Springs voters adopted a strong mayor-council form of government. The City of Colorado Springs transitions to the new system of government in 2011. Under the strong mayor-council system of government, the mayor is the chief executive and the city council is the legislative branch. The mayor will be full-time and will no longer be a member of the city council. The city council will add one additional at-large member and stay at nine members. The mayor will have veto authority, with the city council having the ability to override a mayoral veto by a 2/3 votes (6 out of 9). Current issues In order to combat the nearly $38 million budget shortfall projected in 2010 caused by current economic conditions resulting in decreased sales taxes, a proposal to increase property taxes by $10 million over five years was approved for the November 2009 ballot by the city council on 25 August 2009. Issue 2C was voted down on 3 November 2009. An attempt to reform the city's Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) was considered but not put on the ballot. As a result the city reduced fire and police jobs, stopped paving roads, eliminated evening and weekend bus service, reduced public trash control, and asked residents to mow the grass in their neighborhood parks. Economy Colorado Springs' economy is driven primarily by the military, the high-tech industry, and tourism, in that order. The city is currently experiencing some growth mainly in the service sectors. Defense industry The defense industry plays a major role in the Colorado Springs economy, with some of the city's largest employers coming from the sector. A large segment of this industry is dedicated to the development and operation of various projects for missile defense. With its close ties to defense, the aerospace industry has also influenced the Colorado Springs economy. Although some defense corporations have left or downsized city campuses, a slight growth trend is still recorded.Significant defense corporations in the city include Boeing, General Dynamics, Harris Corporation, ITT, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. High-tech industry A large percentage of Colorado Springs' economy is still based on manufacturing high tech and complex electronic equipment. The high tech sector in the Colorado Springs area has decreased its overall presence over the past six years (from around 21,000 down to around 8,000), with notable reductions in information technology and complex electronic equipment. Due to a slowing in tourism, the high tech sector still remains second to the military in terms of total revenue generated and employment. Current trends project the high tech employment ratio will continue to decrease in the near future.High tech corporations with connections to the city include:Verizon Business– Software development – FormerlyWorldComandMCI, has a fairly large engineering presence. At its peak during the mid-to-late 1990s, with over 5,000 employees and currently has nearly 1300 employees in 2008. Hewlett-Packard– Computing – large sales, support, andSANstorage engineering center. The location was built byDigital Equipment Corporation, renamedCompaqin the 1998 acquisition of Digital, and finally renamed Hewlett-Packard after the 2002 merger. Nearly 1000 positions will be transferred out of the Springs SNIA– Computing – home of the SNIA Technology Center Agilent– Test and Measurement Manufacturing – In 1999, Agilent was spun off fromHPas an independent, publicly-traded company. Intel– Currently idled with 250 employees, down from 1000 employees in 2007 Atmel– Chip fabrication. FormerlyHoneywell. Recently laid off 245 workers. Cypress SemiconductorColorado Design Center – Chip fabrication R&D site Sanmina-SCIClosing facility around December 2007 to January 2008 (800 jobs). Top employers According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Military Installations The United States Military plays a very important role in the city. Colorado Springs is home to both Army and Air Force bases. All these military installations border the city, to the north, south and east, excluding Schriever Air Force Base, which is located east of the city in El Paso County. Fort Carson Fort Carson is the city's largest military base, and until mid-2006 was home to the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, which relocated to Fort Hood, Texas. By 2009, Fort Carson will be the home station of the 4th Infantry Division, which will nearly double the base's population. Fort Carson is host to various training grounds for infantry, armor, and aviation units (specifically the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior). Fort Carson is also the headquarters of the second and third battalions of the 10th Special Forces Group. Peterson Air Force Base The Air Force has critical aspects of their service based at Colorado Springs which carry on missile defense operations and development. The Air Force bases a large section of the national missile defense operations here, with Peterson Air Force Base set to operate large sections of the program. Peterson AFB is currently the headquarters of the majority of Air Force Space Command and the operations half of Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command (SMDC/ARSTRAT).Peterson is also headquarters for the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), one of the Unified Combatant Commands. USNORTHCOM directs all branches of the U.S. military operations in their area of responsibility which includes the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico. In the event of national emergencies the President or Secretary of Defense can call upon USNORTHCOM for any required military assistance. Service members from every branch of the US Military are stationed at the command. Schriever Air Force Base (formerly Falcon AFB) Schriever Air Force Base is home to the 50th Space Wing, which controls warning, navigational, communications and spy satellites. It is also the home of the Space Warfare Center and the home for the 576th Flight Test Squadron. It is the location of the Global Positioning System (GPS) master control station and GPS Operations Center and the US Naval Observatory Alternate Master Clock, used to synchronize GPS satellite time. Schriever is also developing parts of national missile defense and runs parts of the annual wargames used by the nation's military. NORAD and Cheyenne Mountain Air Station The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a component of America's missile defense system, is located in Cheyenne Mountain Air Station. When it was built at the height of the Cold War, NORAD caused some anxiety for the residents in and around Colorado Springs, who believed the installation would be a primary target during a nuclear attack. Although NORAD still operates today, it is primarily tasked with the tracking of ICBMs, and the military has recently decided to place Cheyenne Mountain's NORAD/NORTHCOM operations on warm standby and move operations to nearby Peterson Air Force Base. United States Air Force Academy The north end of the city is home to the vast United States Air Force Academy grounds, where cadets train to become officers in the Air Force. The campus is famous for its unique chapel and draws visitors year round. The Air Force sports programs belong to the Mountain West Conference. Crime Colorado Springs has gangs, mostly on the east, southeast, and south sides of the city and one on the north part of town. The East Side Crips (Dog City Crips) are on the east and southeast sides. The Ruthless Ass Gangsters, another Crip gang, are located in the Prospect Lake area on the east side. The Sureños are on the south side of the city. A large gang called the South Side Varrio (Sureños) is located in the Meadows Park neighborhood on the south side. A large population of Bloods are also in Colorado Springs, on the east side and southeast side of the city. On the North side of town, in the neighborhood of Pine Creek reside Northside 69, a ruthless gang. In 2010 it was reported by the Gazette that Northside 69 is the largest growning gang in the Colorado Springs area. A known Blood gang in the city is the Neighborhood 45 Bloods on the southeast side. Another gang in Colorado Springs is the East Dale Street Locos, which are on the east side of the city. A gang Known as the White Trash Mafia was also started in the springs. Because Referendum 2C for higher funding was not passed, the police have reduced some drug/gang surveillance, and prioritize some police calls, with property crimes having lower priority than others. Tourism With the city located at the base of the Rocky Mountains, and its many trails and parks, Colorado Springs is a popular destination for tourists seeking scenery, rock formations and other unique geological features, like Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods park, Seven Falls, and Cave Of The Winds.Colorado Springs is also home to a variety of cultural, educational, and historical attractions including the Cheyenne Mountain Heritage Center, the ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, the American Numismatic Association Money Museum, Peterson Air and Space Museum, and the United States Air Force Academy. Olympic sports Colorado Springs is home to the United States Olympic Training Center and the headquarters of the United States Olympic Committee. In addition, a number of United States national federations for individual Olympic sports have their headquarters in Colorado Springs, including:United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation United States Fencing Association United States Figure Skating Association USA Basketball USA Boxing USA Cycling USA Judo USA Hockey USA Swimming USA Shooting USA Table Tennis USA Triathlon USA Volleyball USA Wrestling The city has a particularly long association with the sport of figure skating, having hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships 6 times and the World Figure Skating Championships 5 times. It is home to the World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame and the Broadmoor Skating Club, a notable training center for the sport. In recent years, the World Arena has hosted skating events such as Skate America and the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Local teams The local colleges feature many sports teams. Notable among them are the following nationally-competitive NCAADivision Iteams:United States Air Force Academy(Fighting Falcons) Football, Basketball and Hockey,Colorado College(Tigers) Hockey, and Women's Soccer. Colorado Springs hosted the 1962 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships (together with Denver).This nullifies a popular Canadian claim that the 2008 IIHF World Championships inQuebec CityandHalifaxmarked the first time this event was organized on the American continent. However, the 2008 eventwasthe first World Championship on the American continent in whichNHLplayers were eligible to compete. Religious institutions Although houses of worship of almost every major religion can be found in the city, Colorado Springs has attracted a large influx of Evangelical Christians and Christian organizations in recent years. At one time Colorado Springs was counted to be the national headquarters for 81 different religious organizations, earning the city the tongue-in-cheek nickname 'the Evangelical Vatican' and 'The Christian Mecca'[citation needed]. Religious groups with regional or international headquarters in Colorado Springs include: the Association of Christian Schools International, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Compassion International, Every Home for Christ, Focus on the Family, HCJB, the International Bible Society, The Navigators, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs, WAY-FM Media Group, Andrew Wommack Ministries, and Young Life. Transportation Today, Colorado Springs has many features of a modern urban area, such as parks, bike trails, and urban open-area spaces. However, it is not exempt from problems that typically plague cities that experience tremendous growth like overcrowded roads and highways, crime, sprawl, and government budget issues. Many of the problems are indirectly or directly caused by the city's difficulty in coping with the large population growth experienced in the last 20 years and the annexing of the Banning Lewis Ranch area for 175,000 future residents.Colorado Springs is served by a bus system called Mountain Metro (short for Mountain Metropolitan Transit). Mountain Metro also operates the Front Range Express (FREX) service, which connects Colorado Springs to Denver and several other metropolitan areas during weekdays. Although the transit system serves much of the city and its nearest suburbs, it lacks service to many important areas and has only limited hours of operation.Colorado Springs is served by the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. In the state of Colorado, only Denver International has more passenger traffic. The airport has experienced a higher recovery rate in the post-9/11 era than the rest of the country and is in the process of expanding its maintenance facilities, taxiways, and runways to accommodate future growth. In 2005 it served approximately two million passengers. Major highways In 2004, the voters of Colorado Springs and El Paso County established the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority and adopted a 1% sales tax dedicated to improving the region's transportation infrastructure. Together with state funding for the Colorado Springs Metro Interstate Expansion (COSMIX)(2007 completion) and the I-25 interchange with Highway 16 (2008 completion), significant progress has been made since 2003 in addressing the transportation needs of the area. Currently the City is trying to overcome a $23.3 million budget gap created by falling sales taxes and rising expenses.Colorado Springs is primarily served by the interstate highways I-25 and U.S. Route 24.Interstate 25runs north-south fromNew Mexicothrough Colorado Springs toDenveron its way northward towards Wyoming. I-25 in El Paso County running through Colorado Springs in knows as Ronald Reagan Highway. US 24traverses through eastern Colorado from Limon thro