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Colorado’s $29M Pedestrian Bridge: Visionary Legacy or Fancy Detour?
There’s a bold plan in the works for Colorado’s 150th birthday: a pedestrian walkway that snakes through downtown Denver, connecting iconic landmarks. It's sleek, artistic, symbolic—and depending who you ask, either a beautiful tribute or a $29 million misstep.
What Is the CO150 Walkway?
It’s called the Colorado 150 Walkway—CO150 for short—and it’s not just a bridge. It’s designed to connect the State Capitol, Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park, and Civic Center Park. The idea is to give people a safe, accessible, and meaningful path through the city’s civic heart. Right now, crossing Lincoln Street is a mess. There’s no direct pedestrian route, and folks with disabilities or kids have to deal with traffic and weird sidewalk setups. This walkway would fix that.
And not in a plain-Jane way either. The design—by Studio Gang, a firm known for artsy urban projects—takes cues from Colorado’s natural landscape. Think curves that mimic mountain ranges, materials inspired by rivers and canyons, and a pathway that’s intentionally not straight or flat.
It’s Not Just Concrete and Steel
One of the biggest things the state is pushing is the storytelling element. This isn’t just infrastructure—it’s an open-air museum. About 20 Colorado artists are being tapped to create works embedded into the walkway. Not murals slapped on the side. We're talking custom railings, plaques, sculptures, even wayfinding signs that tell the story of Colorado’s 150 years.
Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park, which has been pretty underused for years, is also getting a facelift as part of the project. New green space, play zones, educational stations—the works. The goal is to make it somewhere people actually go, not just pass through.
The Price Tag
Here’s where it gets dicey: the walkway alone is projected to cost around $18 million. Add another $10 million for park improvements and other upgrades, and you’re looking at $28–29 million total. Of that, $8 to $8.5 million is already coming from state funds. The rest is supposed to come from private donations. So far, they’ve raised about $1 million. That’s... not close.
And this is all happening while Colorado’s facing a $1 billion budget shortfall. That’s not great timing for a high-concept bridge project.
Public Reaction: Heated, to Say the Least
Some people love it. Others think it’s a vanity project. There’s very little in between.
Supporters are saying:
It’s about safety. Lincoln Street is dangerous and not remotely friendly to pedestrians or people in wheelchairs. This fixes that.
It activates dead space. Lincoln Park is in a prime location but barely used. A walkway with art and history could change that.
It celebrates Colorado, visibly. This isn’t just functional—it’s symbolic. It puts Colorado’s story front and center during its 150th anniversary.
It’s a long-term win. Cities that invest in thoughtful public infrastructure tend to benefit down the line. This could be one of those defining civic landmarks.
Critics fire back with:
The cost is absurd. When schools and healthcare are strapped for cash, nearly $30 million for a walkway looks wildly out of touch.
The design is too complicated. Instead of a direct bridge, this thing loops and curves. Critics say it’s trying too hard to be poetic and not hard enough to be practical.
It clashes with historic design. Groups like Historic Denver argue the walkway messes with the classic symmetry of the Civic Center area. They see it as visual noise in a place meant to be orderly and grand.
It’s based on a flaky survey. The public feedback survey on co150walkway.com is open to anyone and easily manipulated. So some say it’s being used to justify a plan that was already decided.
That Survey Everyone’s Talking About
Governor Polis is pushing a feedback survey to get a pulse on public opinion. It’s open until midnight on July 21, 2025. You can vote yes or no on the walkway, or suggest alternative ideas—like a smaller version, or other state projects that could mark the 150th.
But let’s be real: this survey is no scientific sample. It’s voluntary, shareable, and ripe for bandwagoning. Whether or not it’s a good barometer for public will is very debatable.
So What Happens Now?
The Capitol Building Advisory Committee gave the project a thumbs-up with an 8–4 vote, despite the controversy. Governor Polis is pressing ahead, but says he’ll listen to the results of the survey. If the numbers are tight or there’s a strong pushback, the plan might get scrapped or scaled down.
Fundraising is another hurdle. They still need millions in private donations. If that dries up, this project may never leave the drawing board.
Bottom Line
The CO150 Walkway is trying to be more than a bridge. It’s a statement. A legacy piece. Something people might photograph, stroll on, and learn from. But with a nearly $30 million cost and a split public, the question is whether this is the right time—or the right project—to carry that weight.
Some see it as a gift to the future. Others, as an expensive detour from the state’s real priorities. Either way, the clock’s ticking. And so is the public vote.
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