Critics blast Gov. Polis' bridge to nowhere
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A rendering of the Colorado 150 Pedestrian Walkway. Image courtesy of the governor's office
To celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday, Gov. Jared Polis wants to build a pedestrian bridge to nowhere.
Why it matters: The project — financed with public and private dollars — is generating significant opposition from those who say it would serve little purpose and upset the aesthetics of downtown Denver.
Driving the news: Polis is the chief promoter of the overpass to connect the state Capitol grounds with the state-owned Veterans Park, just across Lincoln Street.
- He is soliciting donations from private entities, ranging from $10,000 to $1.5 million, including from interests with business in front of his administration.
- The bridge is set for completion in summer 2026.
Yes, but: The design renderings for the 11,000-square-foot project are generating controversy from the start.
- Historic Denver, an urban preservation organization, says the bridge "serves no functional purpose and is a response to a problem that does not exist."
- It also would violate federal transportation guidelines and the state's own cultural landscape plans, the nonprofit argues.
What they're saying: "I think we all need to ask ourselves: Why?" Historic Denver CEO John Deffenbaugh told CBS Colorado.
- Civic Center Park "is based on restraint, symmetry, elegance. And the bridge that is being proposed by the state is almost the opposite of those stylistic motifs. It's curving. It's highly out of place for this environment," Deffenbaugh added.
The latest: Historic Denver launched a petition last week objecting to the "useless" pedestrian overpass. It is already garnering support, including 100 signatures in the first hour after it launched.
The other side: In a statement, Polis defended the concept and design saying it would improve accessibility to Veterans Park and reflect the state's flowing rivers.
