After weeks of controversy, Colorado Governor Jared Polis has dumped a plan to build a $28.5 million pedestrian walkway that would have been built on the grounds of the Colorado State Capitol, connecting that structure with the nearby Lincoln Veterans Park.
The project was officially called the Colorado 150 Pedestrian Walkway, with the 150 in that title referencing the state’s upcoming 150th anniversary as an official part of the U.S.
As proposed, the 11,000-square-foot walkway would include several viewing platforms, as well as play elements, statues, and artwork created by Colorado artists.
In releasing the design of the project in May, Polis said, “Now, when Coloradoans of all ages come to visit our State Capital, they can more easily access and enjoy Lincoln Veterans Park, while enjoying and learning from art from local artists.”
But the proposal ran into the almost immediate opposition of the group History Colorado, which said the walkway would be “highly out of place.”
In a statement, John Deffenbaugh, History Colorado chief executive officer, said the walkway “serves no functional purpose and is a response to a problem that does not exist.”
History Colorado subsequently launched a petition drive protesting the project.
But it was the results of an online survey promoted by Polis that convinced him to walk away from the project. That survey, in which more than 84,000 people participated, indicated that upwards of 94% of respondents were against the project.
In a statement upon the release of that survey, Polis said, “I will stop the pedestrian walkway in its tracks.”
In a jocular note, Polis added that “if needed, I will chain myself to the Capitol Plaza in order to prevent it from being built.”
In the category of just leaving well enough along, Polis also noted the response to a second question on the survey asking for opinions on sponsoring smaller scale projects to celebrate the state’s upcoming birthday: 33,112 respondents said they would be supportive of smaller projects, while 48,082 were for “no anniversary projects at all.”
July 28, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Rendition courtesy of colorado.gov
