On the ballot for Tuesday’s election, Denver has asked the city’s voters to allow it to take out $950 million in debt to pay for about 60 major capital improvement projects.

The massive “Vibrant Denver” general obligation bond package, spearheaded by Mayor Mike Johnston, appears as five questions — Ballot Issues 2A through 2E — with each one dedicated to a different category of spending. They cover transportation, city facilities, parks, housing, and health and human services.

If one question fails to win over voters, the others can still pass, allowing voters to decide which kinds of projects they want to approve.

If approved, the Vibrant Denver package wouldn’t require any increase in taxes. That’s because the city is using property tax dollars to pay off earlier bonds’ debt. As those bonds are paid back, it frees up tax dollars collected by the city to be used for other purposes.

Ballot Issue 2A: About $441 million of the bond would go toward 14 transportation and mobility projects. Here are some of the most costly ones:

• $89 million for improvements to the West Eighth Avenue viaduct. This is the most expensive project in the entire package. It has also received scrutiny because it’s next door to the Burnham Yard site where the Denver Broncos plan to build their next stadium.

• $50 million for repairs and improvements on the West Sixth Avenue viaduct, which is also near the future stadium site.

• $75 million for the construction of a new underpass and an extension of Bettie Cram Drive at the National Western Center.

• $55.3 million for multimodal improvements on West 38th Avenue.

Ballot Issue 2B: About $175 million would go to 21 parks and recreation projects. Some of the biggest projects include:

• $70 million for the buildout of Park Hill Park, which is set to open to the public for limited use this month.

• $20 million to acquire a site for a southeast recreation center and skate park.

• $15 million to rebuild the outdoor pool at the Aztlan Recreation Center, 4435 Navajo St.

Ballot Issue 2C: This measure would dedicate $30 million to a family health clinic and a children’s advocacy center.

Ballot Issue 2D: About $244 million would be earmarked for 18 proposed improvements of city facilities, including libraries, community centers and the Denver Animal Shelter. That includes:

• $75 million for the construction of a new combined facility for sheriff, fire and police training.

•$35.1 million for an expansion and accessibility improvement for the backstage area of Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

•$20 million for the design and construction of a new American Indian Cultural Embassy.

•$20 million for Boettcher Concert Hall improvements.

Ballot Issue 2E: An additional $60 million would fund housing affordability initiatives, including $45 million for investments in new affordable housing and efforts to prevent displacement of lower-income people as neighborhoods see new development.

More details on all of the projects, along with a map of their locations, are available on the city’s website at bit.ly/4qzdrr1.

Proponents of the bond include Johnston and former mayors Michael Hancock, Wellington Webb and Federico Peña. Supporters say the bond will improve life in the city, making it safer and more functional while boosting cultural and recreational facilities.

Bonds are a common way for cities to help pay for repairs and improvements without increasing taxes, they say. Officials have also said the projects would create 7,000 new jobs and produce nearly $2 billion in economic impact.

“By repairing and improving critical city infrastructure now, we avoid higher repair costs later, save money in the long run and keep our city running effectively,” says one supportive argument submitted for the city’s Ballot Issue Notice booklet.

Opponents of the bond measures include the group Citizens for No New Debt, which is led by resident Jason Robert Bailey. Bailey has argued that issuing new debt would end up costing Denver taxpayers more money than if the city simply paid for projects up front.

Critics also have said the city shouldn’t be using taxpayer dollars to help finance infrastructure projects next to the preferred site for the new Denver Broncos stadium.

“A ‘no’ vote will pay off earlier bonds faster rather than rolling over to new bond expenses, including substantial interest expense,” according to the opponents’ argument in the city ballot notice. “This will save Denver taxpayers millions of dollars and ease the rising property tax assessments paid by even renters.”

—Elliott Wenzler