Denver's $800M bond package for infrastructure projects takes shape
State of play: An executive committee handpicked by Johnston — including former Mayor Federico Peña and Denver City Council president Amanda Sandoval — submitted a list of recommended infrastructure projects to Johnston after months of public input.
The process drew more than 6,200 survey responses and nearly 1,000 town hall attendees.
The big picture: The proposal spans streets, bridges, parks and public safety — but lacks a clear cornerstone project to define the bond.
Instead, it focuses on dozens of smaller, long-awaited fixes and new additions:
🏥 Public health and safety
New first responder training center
A children's advocacy center
Upgrades to Denver Health's Westside clinic
Denver Animal Shelter expansion
🌳 Parks and public spaces
Build-out of two new parks at Emporia Park and Park Hill Park
Safety lighting on Cherry Creek and High Line trails
Sloan's Lake cleanup
Renovations to the Decker, Montbello and Blair Caldwell African American Research libraries
🏘️ Housing and culture
A co-located library and housing project in East Denver
Site prep for a future American Indian Cultural Embassy
🚧 Infrastructure
Santa Fe improvements between Sixth and 13th Avenues — a notorious choke point.
Bridge and viaduct repairs, including Cherry Creek crossings and the Quebec bridge over Airlawn Road
Upgrades to the Marion and 38th and Blake underpasses
What's next: Johnston will review the recommendations and, in the coming weeks, submit a formal package to the Denver City Council, which must vote to put it on the Nov. 4 ballot.
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