Prioritize what Colorado needs

Here we go again — another expensive, unnecessary project nobody asked for, that serves little purpose beyond a monument to Governor Jared Polis and his legacy of misaligned priorities. The proposed $28.5 million pedestrian bridge near the State Capitol and Veterans Park is not only tone-deaf in design — clashing with the historic character of the area — but it’s also a tone-deaf use of funds at a time when the State of Colorado is financially strained.

This isn’t just my opinion. Opposition has come from the senator representing the very district where the bridge would be built — Sen. Matt Ball — as well as from History Colorado, the Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, the Denver Landmark Commission, and numerous local residents. Yet, like the unpopular and rarely used bike lanes forced through despite community pushback, this project seems headed in the same top-down direction.

Safety concerns are real and should not be ignored. Just as many bicyclists now avoid Denver’s bike lanes due to traffic dangers, the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition’s constituents will likely face new hazards — from navigating icy conditions to dodging skateboarders — if this bridge is built. The added burden to State Patrol and the liability risks seem conveniently glossed over.

And then there’s the cost, $28.5 million, much of it from American Rescue Plan funds, supposedly meant for urgent state needs — not vanity infrastructure. Do we really believe this project will be completed on time for Colorado’s 150th anniversary and stay within budget, when few major public projects ever do?

If Governor Polis and Sen. Steve Fenberg of Boulder are so enamored with the bridge idea, perhaps they can build one in Boulder instead — on their own dime.

Let’s prioritize what Colorado needs, not what a few in power want. This bridge should be stopped before one more dollar is wasted.

Mark Scott

Denver

Never any accountability

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says the city is looking at a $250K deficit. It would be $150K if they had not wasted 100K on a firm to advised them to change the 16th. St. Mall name to 16th. St.

And nobody will ever be fired over this!

How much was wasted on bike lanes downtown and special signal lights for bike traffic, when there are so few bicycles using them. Or the destruction of all the beautiful trees along the 16th Street Mall only to just put them back.

They would tell you that there was no way to do the work that needed to be done without removing them. I would reply, “No, it’s just that you couldn’t do it.” No one fired there either.

Never any accountability for the incompetence with the City of Denver. Maybe because of all of the complacent news media ignoring these issues.

Jake Byrd

Colorado Springs

Sell-off of public lands

The mega bill in the Senate includes a mandate to sell 2 to 3 million acres of public lands, mostly in the West, managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Here is why no bill should ever include such things.

First, public lands are a matter of economic well-being.

A 2024 report states that recreation on BLM lands contributes $8.8 billion to the economy in Colorado alone. Recreation in national forests contributes $12.5 billion in GDP nationwide.

Secondly, public lands are a matter of overall human well-being. Protected natural areas benefit our civilization in more ways than we realize.

For example, forests and wetlands filter water, reducing water treatment costs. These places provide habitat for creatures that pollinate our crops.

Also, spending time in nature has proven physical and mental health benefits. This sell-off of public lands has human health implications.

If this goes through, it won’t just affect mountain town dwellers like me who want options for places to hike my dogs. Even if you live in a big city and would never dream of going camping, this will affect you and our country.

To quote a renowned folk singer, “this land was made for you and me!”

Laurel Smerch

Mancos