Amid criticism of planned pedestrian bridge, Gov. Jared Polis asks Coloradans: Do you want this?

Eight months after announcing plans to build a pedestrian bridge onto the grounds of the state Capitol Gov Jared Polis is now asking Coloradans Do you want this Polis declared Tuesday that his office was launching a population survey to gauge endorsement for a million proposal that would connect the western side of the Capitol with Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park creating a bridge across Lincoln Street Polis office has pitched the idea as a celebration of the state s th birthday next year that will also showcase local artists and improve accessibility to the Capitol But criticism has mounted over the cost and need for such a bridge which will alter the face of an iconic part of Denver The multiple-choice survey available at co walkway com feedback will also ask Coloradans if they want a scaled-down version of the bridge or if they would like to see certain other project either a major proposal or several smaller ones in Denver or elsewhere in the state It ll also ask if they want anything at all We want to really have populace ownership of this decision and have people across the state decide what they want to do Polis stated in an interview Tuesday Given the level of passion surrounding the bridge idea the governor reported he wants to make sure it s not just the loudest voices but it s all the voices here that are registering what they want The survey will be open to all Coloradans through Monday and Polis declared the results will be publicly issued later next week The survey includes four questions and requires respondents to enter their zip code to participate Polis office mentioned the survey can only be filled out by one person per IP address that s the unique identifier for a device connected to the internet The search for constituents advocacy comes two months after Polis office issued initial renderings of the bridge the designs for which have already cost million and after an initial advisory committee signed off on the plans albeit with specific reservations The legislative committee that is next set to discuss the bridge has already signaled skepticism with that committee s chair Democratic Rep Tammy Story describing the project as a bridge to nowhere Other groups have voiced opposition too The Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods organization in Denver stated its opposition in June The preservation group Historic Denver came out against the project in May Polis demurred when solicited if the survey was invariably planned or if it was sparked by skepticism for the project He announced a previous survey asking for input had very inadequate participants I think people are just starting to talk about this stuff and so I think now s the right time to get a sense of whether people see it do they want it do they not want it he commented I think it s exactly the right time to do it Related Articles State Sen Jessie Danielson announces run for Colorado secretary of state Colorado Medicaid passage company reaches settlement with state Former Army officer to challenge for Colorado Springs congressional district Pagosa Springs man arrested for June firebombing of elections office Colorado labor department reveals it s received four ICE immigration subpoenas but won t say if it complied The results of the survey will be a big part of informing what we do Polis explained and he hoped there would be a decisive showing of patronage or opposition The website s preamble to the survey includes just over words of positive background about the project It also includes a video of Polis discussing the project the video was published by the Mizel Institute founded by megadonor Larry Mizel alongside a separate video featuring blistering criticism of the project by News anchor Kyle Clark The bridge s construction has been pitched as a joint public-philanthropic endeavor The bridge itself will cost between million and million The governor s office has about million in funds available for the project leaving the rest to be funded by donations Several million dollars more will be needed for extra landscape and grading work artwork by Colorado artists and upgraded crossings at Lincoln and Broadway the governor s office previously communicated The Denver Post Money for the other components would likely come from state coffers such as maintenance funds lawmakers announced Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter The Spot