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A pedestrian bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday is a "no" go. Gov. Jared Polis explains what's being considered instead.
A pedestrian bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday is a "no" go. Gov. Jared Polis explains what's being considered instead.

CBS News

time7 days ago

  • Politics
  • CBS News

A pedestrian bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday is a "no" go. Gov. Jared Polis explains what's being considered instead.

We now know how Coloradans want -- and don't want -- to celebrate the state's 150th birthday next year. Gov. Jared Polis launched a survey last week to find out if people liked his idea for an $18 million pedestrian bridge outside the Colorado State Capitol Building. The Colorado 150 Walkway would have stretched 1,100 square feet from the capitol to Veterans Memorial Park. 93% of those who took the survey were opposed to the bridge. "This for me validates that we will stop any walkway proposal for the state capitol," Polis told Your Political Reporter Shaun Boyd. He thinks people may have been put off by the cost. Whatever the reason for the opposition, the vote was decisive. The survey was only open five days, and the governor says more than 80,000 people weighed in. "This shows the passion that Coloradans have about our 150 birthday, our nation's 250th," he said. Based on the survey, most people have equal passion for both birthdays. "We are going to make sure all of our branding is 150-250. And we've already started to use that. This validates that." The legislature created a 150 commission to plan the celebration next year. The governor says he will consult with that group on how to proceed. "I'd like to see perhaps some kind of historical art project that kind of tells the story of Colorado. Ideally it could be mobile, so it could be in three or four places. We have time to plan, we have great folks that are providing input. We want people's continued input on this," he said. "Again, 80,000 people in five days shows a high level of interest." While the governor wanted the bridge, he says -- on the bright side -- he now doesn't have to raise $10 million. The state would have pitched in the other $8 million. Not only did most people not want a bridge, more than half didn't want any project. Of those who did want a project, most didn't want it in Denver. They wanted several smaller projects around the state. Colorado became a state on August 1st, 1876, which is officially "Colorado Day."

Do you want an $18 million bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday? Take Gov. Jared Polis's survey
Do you want an $18 million bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday? Take Gov. Jared Polis's survey

CBS News

time16-07-2025

  • Politics
  • CBS News

Do you want an $18 million bridge for Colorado's 150th birthday? Take Gov. Jared Polis's survey

Gov. Jared Polis wants to hear from you. He's conducting a survey to find out how Coloradans want to celebrate the state's 150th birthday next year. It comes after his idea for an $18 million pedestrian bridge from the Colorado State Capitol to Veterans' Memorial Park sparked an uproar. The governor admits he didn't expect such a visceral reaction when he released renderings of the Colorado 150 Walkway in May. "One thing I was excited about is there was so much passion. But how do you measure that?" he said. He isn't convinced the people who've voiced opposition to the bridge represent where most Coloradans are at so, he's decided to get a bead on public sentiment with a survey. "Rather than just sort of stick our finger in the wind, let's try to get some data behind this," he said. The survey -- at -- not only asks whether Coloradans want the walkway but whether they want it scaled back and, if they don't want it, what they want instead. There's also a question about whether people are more excited to celebrate Colorado's 150th anniversary or the nation's 250th anniversary, which both happen next summer. "We're the kid with the Christmas birthday, right," the governor said. "Our birthday is Christmas. Like, Colorado is the only state where our big anniversaries are on our country's big anniversaries." He says, whatever the survey results are, he will honor them. "We can quickly pivot to something else," he said. "What would be a nightmare to me is if (the survey) comes back and it's like 50.2% to 49.8%." "And then what?" CBS Colorado Your Political Reporter Shaun Boyd asked. "And then we're kind of where we are and we have to make our best judgement on where to go." But he says ultimately, it's not about what he wants. "I happen to be the guy in the seat who helps to orchestrate this birthday event. And yes, President Trump gets to be the guy in the White House who orchestrates our 250th. So whether you like me, whether you like Trump is irrelevant. It's about our birthday, and we want to make sure we observe that appropriately." The survey will be open until midnight Monday. There has been some confusion around the cost of the walkway. The governor says it's $18 million, not $28 million. The other $10 million, he says, is for improvements to the park that will take place over several years. Polis says $8 million of the $18 million will come from the state and he plans to raise the other $10 million.

$28 million pedestrian bridge in honor of Colorado's sesquicentennial clears its first hurdle
$28 million pedestrian bridge in honor of Colorado's sesquicentennial clears its first hurdle

CBS News

time27-06-2025

  • Politics
  • CBS News

$28 million pedestrian bridge in honor of Colorado's sesquicentennial clears its first hurdle

A controversial pedestrian bridge to celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday in Denver has cleared its first hurdle. via CBS The Capitol Building Advisory Committee agreed in an 8-4 vote to refer the project to the legislature's Capitol Development Committee. The walkway is expected to cost up to $28 million. It will stretch 11,000 square feet from the west steps of the Capitol, across Lincoln Street, to the far side of Veterans' Park, and it will incorporate works by local artists that highlight Colorado's history. Gov. Jared Polis plans to use discretionary federal dollars the state received during the COVID-19 pandemic to fund some of it. The rest will come from donations. Money is just one of the concerns opponents raised during a hearing before the advisory committee. "It's ugly and I hate it," said Sue Glasmacher, who wondered how many people would use the walkway. "Because it's twice the amount of time as going across the street. The distance is so much more." Maggie Shaver had a different take. "This project, it think, is beautiful," she said. Shaver, who is an educator, says the bridge will make crossing Lincoln much safer for school kids on field trips to the Capitol (buses park along Broadway). Shaver says it will also make the Capitol more accessible for those in wheelchairs. "As someone whose had to take kids through the back door because there isn't an accessible way to get into the building, it's slightly heartbreaking," Shaver said. The bridge has a snakelike design that its creators say not only avoids trees in the park but avoids a steep slope. Another supporter in a wheelchair said the design is intentionally inclusive of people like him. "I've been in this wheelchair for 44 years, and ramps have been the lifeline, the lifeblood of how I get back and forth," the public speaker said before the committee. "For me, I see nothing but positivity and a gain for this because you're including me intentionally." Opponents say there are other ways of improving accessibility. They say the project is unnecessary, impractical and "visual clutter" in an area designated as a national historic landmark. "The proposed overpass is a monstrous intrusion on both the Capitol grounds and Lincoln Park," Joseph Halpern said. Scott Holder also criticized the design. "If the city wanted a glorified skateboard path, I'm sure the theme park urbanists that control the decision making here could find funds for it," Holder said. Committee members also raised concerns about costs related to maintenance and security. Some worried the bridge would result in more problems for Colorado State Patrol as well, but, ultimately, they voted to move it forward. Committee Chair Lois Court -- a former state lawmaker -- said, "I have great faith in the people in this building to listen and to create a design that ultimately does what we will all be proud of." The project will now go before the legislature's Capitol Development Committee, which will decide whether to refer it to the full House and Senate for a vote. The city of Denver will also need to approve permits for it. The design team says it doesn't expect construction to start until next spring. It hopes to finish the walkway and art installation in time for Colorado's 150th birthday next summer.

Colorado residents fume over Denver's $20M pedestrian bridge: 'Who is this for?'
Colorado residents fume over Denver's $20M pedestrian bridge: 'Who is this for?'

The Independent

time27-05-2025

  • Business
  • The Independent

Colorado residents fume over Denver's $20M pedestrian bridge: 'Who is this for?'

Colorado residents have been left scratching their heads over a new $20 million walkway in the state capital, branding it as 'completely unnecessary' and a waste of taxpayer money, with one even questioning: 'Who is this for?' The renderings for the project – meant to celebrate Colorado's 150th anniversary as a state – were unveiled by Gov. Jared Polis earlier this week, prompting less than positive responses online. 'I'm thrilled that Coloradans can now visualize this walkway and its amazing positive impact on our community,' Polis wrote. 'Now, when Coloradans of all ages come to visit our State Capitol, they can more easily access and enjoy Lincoln Veterans Park while enjoying and learning from art from local artists.' Comments from members of the public on Polis' social media posts about the project have been, for the most part, negative. 'I understand no public funds are being spent, however this is a public space,' wrote one user. 'This bridge feels like a clunky, over the top solution. Isn't there a simpler way to approach this that doesn't destroy the experience of civic center?' Added another: 'This is so strange. Who is this for? Where are they parking and where are they walking to? Us peasants simply take the bus to Colfax and Lincoln and use the crosswalk.' 'Just think of all the good this money being used could have gone toward', wrote a third, with another adding simply: 'Waste of time and money. Completely unnecessary.' Polis announced the plans to build the bridge last year, with a price tag of between $18 million to $20 million that would use both private and public funding. According to the governor's office, the bridge is intended to resemble Colorado's flowing rivers. John Deffenbaugh, President and CEO of Historic Denver, said the bridge was out of place in Denver's historic Civic Center area and does 'nothing right.' "It doesn't take pedestrians from A to B in a way which is convenient for them,' Deffenbaugh told 9News."It's a national historic landmark. It's a historic district. 'There are several layers of policy documentation to protect the evolution of this site to ensure it evolves in keeping with its historic characteristics. This bridge really plows right through everything that makes this park great." Historic Denver had been aware of the project since August of last year and was initially expecting a ground-level crossing improvement. "We were really hopeful that it was going to be a ground-level crossing experience with enhancements to crosswalks, enhancements to paving, really something to improve Lincoln and Broadway," Deffenbaugh Deffenbaugh told 9News. "Unfortunately, that's morphed into a huge raised overpass over Lincoln, which really just drops people off at the corner of Broadway and Colfax for no reason."

Colorado governor unveils plans for walkway in honor of the state's 150th birthday
Colorado governor unveils plans for walkway in honor of the state's 150th birthday

CBS News

time23-05-2025

  • Politics
  • CBS News

Colorado governor unveils plans for walkway in honor of the state's 150th birthday

On Thursday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis unveiled renderings for a pedestrian walkway that will connect the Capitol building to Lincoln Veterans Park and commemorate the state's 150th birthday. Polis said the Colorado 150 Pedestrian Walkway will improve accessibility among downtown Denver's public spaces and help revitalize the Civic Center area. Gov. Jared Polis Gov. Jared Polis The winding design will mimic the state's rivers and feature materials like sandstone, marble and granite, highlighting Colorado's geology. The governor's office said the walkway will include: Viewing platforms Sculptural monuments Newly commissioned artwork from Colorado artists Play elements Learning and storytelling opportunities "I'm thrilled that Coloradans can now visualize this walkway and its amazing positive impact on our community. Now, when Coloradans of all ages come to visit our State Capitol, they can more easily access and enjoy Lincoln Veterans Park while enjoying and learning from art from local artists. This interactive experience will showcase Colorado's history and look to our even stronger future. I want to thank Studio Gang for their work on this design, as well as all of the local artists who are going to make this walkway an important piece of public art for all to enjoy," said Polis. Gov. Jared Polis Gov. Jared Polis The 11,000-foot walkway is part of a partnership between the governor's office, P3 Office at the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration and History Colorado. It is expected to be completed in the Summer of 2026.

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