Latest news with #walkway
The Independent
27-05-2025
- 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."
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Historic Denver opposes plans for walkway, says it's "a response to a problem that doesn't exist"
Historic Denver has voiced opposition to the governor's plan for a new walkway connecting the State Capitol Building and Lincoln Veterans Park, stating it "serves no functional purpose and is a response to a problem that does not exist." Gov. Jared Polis unveiled renderings of the proposed walkway Thursday, which he said would 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 "Historic Denver supports the State's desire to use art to celebrate the anniversary, but we believe this is the wrong way to go about it. Plowing a functionally useless bridge through this historic site serves no purpose but does extensive damage," said John Deffenbaugh, President and CEO of Historic Denver. Polis said the walkway would make it easier for visitors to access Lincoln Veterans Park and provide opportunities to learn about Colorado's history. But, Historic Denver said the walkway path would not follow the routes naturally followed by pedestrians and would require them to take a longer route instead of using the at-grade crossings. They said pedestrians may choose to use the crossings at Colfax and 14th avenues instead of using the new bridge. Gov. Jared Polis Gov. Jared Polis The Federal Highway Administration recommends above grade crossings be designed to optimize travel. "Grade separated crossings should be located conveniently so that pedestrians are not forced to go out of their way to use them. When a long detour is necessary, pedestrians and bicyclists will often choose to cross at-grade regardless of the safety conditions on the street." Texas A&M Transportation Institute's Transportation Policy Research said these crossings offer many benefits, including increasing speed and road capacity and reducing vehicle conflicts between pedestrians and other vehicles. Although raised overpasses can help reduce risks to cyclists and pedestrians, their construction can be cost prohibitive. According to the Federal Highway Administration, "Because they are expensive to construct, grade separated crossings should be reserved for locations where there is high demand for crossings by pedestrians, bicycles and individuals with physical disabilities and the hazards of crossing the roadway are high. Ideally, overpasses and underpasses should take advantage of the topography of a site—grade separations are less expensive to construct and more likely to be used if they can help pedestrians avoid going up and down slopes, ramps, and steps." Historic Denver also said the proposed overpass doesn't comply with federal guidelines, city policy or the State's 2019 Cultural Landscape Report. They urged the City and County of Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission to reject the proposal and consider other measures for pedestrian safety. The organization created a petition to allow the public to express their views on the overpass.
