One of the major steps in approving a pedestrian walkway linking the state Capitol to Lincoln Park won an 8-4 vote on Thursday from a building advisory committee.

The vote by the General Assembly’s Capitol Building Advisory Committee followed testimony from neighborhoods groups and local residents opposed to the project, as well as from supporters, including a group advocating for people with disabilities. 

One of those four “no” votes came from Sen. Matt Ball, D-Denver, whose Senate district includes the state Capitol.

The pedestrian walkway bridge, which Gov. Jared Polis is pushing, could come at a cost of $28.5 million, according to an analysis by 9News. That’s as much as 60% higher than the original forecast. Under the plan, the bridge would be completed in time for Colorado’s 150th anniversary on Aug. 1, 2026.

The project’s initial funding came from discretionary American Rescue Plan Act dollars in the governor’s office 

In its review of the project, History Colorado noted the walkway is not really intended as a pedestrian thoroughfare; instead, it is “primarily envisioned as a monument, not a pedestrian bridge.”

“We feel that this distinction is important. As a monument, the walkway adds to the long tradition of using Civic Center to celebrate Colorado and American history through the creation, erection, and display of artwork, statuary, memorials, and monuments,” History Colorado said.

The building committee heard from the project’s designers on Thursday. Studio Gang’s Juliana Wolf told the committee that telling the story of Colorado is one aspect of the bridge.

“We are doing that by integrating through art many different stories of the state and thereby making the project a monument in its own right as part of this family of monuments that are in the park and vicinity and have been added over time,” Wolf said. 

The bridge has attracted criticism from several groups in the past month, including History Denver, the Capitol Hill United Neighborhood and local residents. It has drawn support from the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.

Julie Johnson, until recently the chair of the Denver Landmark Commission, said that, while she thinks the design is beautiful, it isn’t appropriate. It will affect what people can see and could over time lead to rendering the Civic Center area “unrecognizable,” she said. 

The $28.5 million construction cost doesn’t appear to cover maintenance. Who will pay for that? asked Christopher Mansour of Capitol Hill United Neighborhood.

The group raised worries over the project’s design and lack of compatibility. The Denver Civic Center historic district embodies a balanced and formal layout, Mansour told the committee, but “a winding elevated walkway would disrupt this design and permanently alter the character of the space rather than enhance or protect it.”

The group also raised safety concerns, including dangers to pedestrians, motorists or anyone who might use the bridge as a shelter. Putting a bridge at Colfax and Broadway is not a practice or efficient route and one that won’t be used in inclement weather, Mansour said. 

Brad Cameron, president of Neighbors for Greater Capitol Hill, said after a recent presentation from the governor’s office and the design team that his group voted, 30-2, to oppose the walkway.  The bridge will add unnecessary and disruptive visual clutter to the beautiful and historic green park space of the Capitol, the Lincoln Veterans Park, and the entire of Civic Center, Cameron said

It will also detract from the main purpose of Veterans Park, and it’s expensive at a time when the state and its citizens face much more important issues, he said, adding there’s been little meaningful public outreach and is rushed.

It will, however, make a great skateboard ramp, Cameron quipped.

Meanwhile, Historic Denver said it is opposed to the project because “it flies in the face of every single guideline” tied to the national historic landmark and the local historic district, according to CEO John Deffenbaugh. He pointed out the architecture of Civic Center is based on Greek and Roman features. This bridge has none of that, Deffenbaugh told the committee.

Joe Halpern, chair of Historic Denver’s board, said the project violates the design guidelines adopted by the General Assembly — guidelines approved by the Capitol Building Advisory Committee.

“Don’t take my word for it, but don’t take the word of the designers either. Please read the guidelines. They’re on the state’s own website and they make it clear that this is inappropriate and it blocks the views from various locations around the Capitol, including Colfax and Broadway,” Halpern said.

Georgianna Contiguglia, who is a member of the Capitol committee, also raised technical issues about the design.

“The bridge passes over Lincoln Street and has an open design with no pedestrian overhead cover. This provides access for projectiles to be dropped from the bridge on to oncoming traffic with potential to cause auto accidents and/or fatalities,” she wrote.  

In addition, she said, the bridge is designed with an incline to negotiate the differing geographical heights of Capitol grounds and Lincoln Park grounds.

“In wet, snowy, or icy weather, the incline will provide a hazard to pedestrians who may slip and fall. If deicer is used on the bridge, melting ice/snow include chemicals that may drip onto oncoming traffic,” she said. 

Closing the bridge is another issue that will require 24/7 vigilance either by the Capitol maintenance staff or the state patrol, she said.

Who will shovel snow off the bridge? she asked.

Two witnesses spoke in favor of the project, a school teacher who said it will be a great place for students on field trips to have their lunches. 

The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition also sent a letter of support.

“It’s clear that accessibility for people with disabilities has been at the forefront of planning,” wrote Hillary Jorgensen. “Far too often, accessibility is merely a box to check, rather than a core design feature. It is clear from the planning documents that those involved in this project have considered accessibility for many members of our community, not just people who use mobility devices.”

Stuart Tucker Lundy, who uses a power wheelchair, said ramps are a lifeline for how he gets from one point to another. He noted much of the city built in the 19th century, before accessibility was considered.

“I see nothing but positivity and  gain for this because you are including me intentionally,” he said.

During the vote, Dawn DiPrince, the state historic preservation officer and a member of the committee, said the project is viewed as a monument and reviewed under the State Register Act. In her letter to the committee, DiPrince wrote that “the walkway does not attempt to imitate historic features, and avoids the creation of a false sense of history. Although modern, the design of the walkway is compatible with its setting.”

Committee members voting “no” cited the maintenance costs, the potential burden to the state patrol and liability issues.

Supporters, including former Sen. Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, advised the governor’s office to engage with the groups that have brought up serious concerns about the project. 

In addition to committee’s vote, the project also needs to be approved by the General Assembly’s Capital Development Committee, the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission, Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, along with two permits, and the Denver City Council. It also needs a joint resolution from the General Assembly, which won’t happen until at least January.