Simplicity is anything but simple to achieve. Don’t ruin Colorado’s simply beautiful cityscape.
Jared Polis has exercised good judgment, not allowing himself or his policies to become polarized throughout his terms as governor. He is thoughtful, can listen and can change his mind.
He certainly needs to change his mind on his “bridge to nowhere.”
He must take yes for an answer.
Yes to the aesthetically beautiful cityscape between the state Capitol and Denver’s City and County Bldg. It is the envy of other cities and states. Rejoice in it, don’t mar it.
Yes to the functionally effective space between the Capitol and the City and Council Bldg. It is a comfortable place for citizens to gathered unhindered, a perfect space for big, periodic, community events (such as on July 4), a classic space for political demonstrations.
Yes to the simple presence of the stately lines and beautiful edifices in and around this cityscape.
Simplicity is anything but simple to achieve. Colorado’s most prominent cityscape has achieved it. Say yes to it. Be grateful for it. Enjoy it. Leave it alone.
It is both inspiring and welcoming, as it is.
The governor’s proposed “pedestrian bridge” would mangle this space. The bridge’s shape and design and function are entirely at odds with this space. The bridge would superimpose on our cityscape lines and curves and materials that are entirely unrelated to this space.
Rather than enhance the space, the bridge would undermine it.
The way the bridge is conceived and designed, it would turn an architectural masterpiece into a hodgepodge, and for no practical gain.
The bridge is a solution to a problem that does not exist.
Did the governor consider: Right now, the edge of Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park in front of the Capitol is lined daily with citizens relaxing. They are typically of the economically lower class. They are comfortable in the cityscape. They are not in homeless encampments. Say yes to these citizens. Do not upend their space. Leave their comfort zone alone.
The governor must takes yes for an answer.
He must also say no:
No to spending $18-20 million for no good public purpose.
No to ignoring or underfunding genuinely pressing needs.
No to disturbing the gorgeous view from the Capitol looking west toward the Rocky Mountains.
No to the fallacious argument that every fine idea is opposed at first because it’s creative, as if every new idea is a good one, as if creative endeavors are not subject to evaluation, as if history is not littered with “creative” ideas that were bad ideas and — pardon the malapropism — never got off the ground.
No to ignoring the excessive costs that typically plague public projects, such as the $100,000 spent to rename the 16th Street Mall to 16th Street; the $800,000 public restroom built during the pandemic (still “temporarily” closed); the state’s 115% above budget gray wolf reintroduction; the 16th Street Mall’s 15% above budget.
No to turning two wonderful anniversaries — Colorado’s 100th and the USA’s 250th — into a side show at best, a circus at worst.
Bottom line: the “pedestrian bridge” is more of a vanity project than one that will truly enhance the city and increase its attraction to tourists. We cannot envision hordes of visitors running to take their photo atop Polis’ bridge.
From the artist’s rendering, we don’t see an appeal similar to Chicago’s Bean, Amsterdam’s “I amsterdam” sign or London’s Millennium Bridge (if we want to remain in the bridge genre). Polis’ bridge is neither architecturally spectacular nor does it cross anything as majestic as a river.
We do not begrudge Polis his desire to leave his mark and to celebrate Colorado’s 150th. We do not oppose public improvement projects. But the announcement out of nowhere of an ill designed, multi-million dollar bridge to nowhere has left his constituency rightly taken aback. We commend Polis for taking the blowback and issuing a public survey to gauge Coloradans’ reactions.
If Colorado is seeking a standout artistic or architectural landmark in its capital city, we prefer the proposed “Spiral Tower,” 673-feet tall on 15th St. between Welton and California — but only as a publicly accessible attraction such the Empire State Building, the Point Reyes Lighthouse in California or the Monument in London.
Whether by foot or elevator, visitors love ascending to the tops of these kinds of structures that give them a bird’s eye view of the city they’re visiting. With the Rockies in the distance, we predict that a view from 673 feet would quickly become a must-see.
It would also leave Colorado’s commanding cityscape untouched.
© IJN 2025
