Boulder plans to begin collecting its new transportation maintenance fee in 2027. The fee is intended to provide a steady source of funding as revenue from city sales taxes levels off.
The fee was approved by city council in 2025, with funds to be used for repairs and maintenance of bridges, roads, sidewalks and other transportation infrastructure. Property owners will be charged based on the estimated number of trips generated by their type of building, a measure intended to reflect how much they use the transportation system. The fee will apply to residential properties, including detached and multifamily homes. Fees for nonresidential properties, such as offices, industrial buildings and warehouses, will increase based on their size.
Rates for different building types were determined using local and national data on the number of trips properties generate. An annual fee calculator is available on the city’s website. Certain entities, including Boulder Valley School District schools and federal laboratories, will be exempt but encouraged to make voluntary payments.
City staff consider 2027 a transition year, according to a memo to the Transportation Advisory Board. The fee is expected to raise around $3 million that year. The first full year of collection will be 2028, when revenue is expected to reach roughly $6 million. The fee will appear on utility bills, according to city spokesperson Aisha Ozaslan.
Throughout 2026, staff have been expanding public outreach about the maintenance fee following criticism that engagement with businesses was limited. The city is also setting up the systems and procedures needed to collect the fee.
