How Denver's $950M bond would reshape the city, block by block
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Denver voters will decide Tuesday whether to green-light Mayor Mike Johnston's massive municipal bond package to fund roughly 60 infrastructure projects citywide.
The big picture: The $950 million proposal — split into five ballot questions and funded through existing property taxes — touches nearly every corner of Denver, with money for parks, playgrounds, roads, bridges, recreation centers, libraries and more.
State of play: The bond could shape some of the city's most consequential developments, including $140 million in road and bridge upgrades around Burnham Yard, where the new Denver Broncos stadium is planned, and another $70 million to transform the former Park Hill Golf Course into the city's largest new park in more than a century.
Yes, but: Supporters say it's the smaller, neighborhood-level projects that will have the biggest impacts on Denverites' daily lives.
Zoom in: Here are nine lesser-known investments that campaign spokesperson Mike Strott says deserve the spotlight:
- West 38th Avenue redesign ($55.3M): Safety and mobility upgrades, including widened sidewalks and better bus stops, between Sheridan Boulevard and Fox Street.
- Santa Fe streetscape ($29M): A facelift for the art district-turned-event corridor, with wider sidewalks, landscaping and enhanced public spaces reflecting the area's culture and history.
- Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center ($20M): Replacement of the existing Denver Health clinic to expand medical services in a historically underserved area.
- Evans Avenue overhaul ($15M): Traffic and safety improvements, including pedestrian crossing upgrades, from Colorado Boulevard to South Downing Street.
- Children's Advocacy Center ($10M): A new "one-stop shop" in the Witter-Cofield neighborhood for families navigating domestic violence and child abuse cases.
- Co-located housing and library ($10M): A mixed-use development in East Denver, pairing a library at street level with affordable apartments above — a two-birds-one-stone model inspired by a project in Globeville.
- New parkland ($7.85M): Buildouts for a new riverfront park in the Sun Valley neighborhood ($5M) and green space in the Windsor neighborhood ($2.85M).
- Sloan's Lake restoration effort ($5M): Environmental upgrades to improve water and habitat health — from stabilizing eroding banks to adding wetlands and green stormwater systems. Bond funding will cover only part of the project's overall cost, but advocates say it's a key step to preventing the lake from stagnating.
- La Plazita de Montbello ($1.5M): A shaded plaza for community gatherings, born from strong neighborhood support.
What we're watching: Whether Denver voters buy into backers' pitch that this bond benefits everyone — from the city's wealthiest enclaves to its long-overlooked corners.
Go deeper: 1-minute voter guide: $950M Vibrant Denver bond (2A–2E)