Denver advances now-$935 million list of projects for buildings, parks, Red Rocks — and roads near Burnham Yard

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston s proposed now- million bond package will go to the full City Council for promising placement on the ballot this fall after a committee advanced it Tuesday As structured nearly half of the proposed bond would pay for transportation mobility and road safety projects while about would go toward improvements for city buildings and cultural facilities Parks and recreation projects account for nearly of the total Further changes are still practicable A couple of the proposed big-ticket items for repairs improvements and other work on the aging Sixth and Eighth avenue viaducts over Burnham Yard would direct nearly million in spending near one likely site for a new Denver Broncos stadium That was among points that generated discussion during Tuesday s committee meeting The -member council will take a first look at the Vibrant Denver bond package on Monday It s designed to provide a six-year funding stream for parks transportation projects fitness and human services programs city facilities new and existing and housing and shelter efforts A final decision on whether to give voters a say on the measure is slated for Aug I think it is ready Councilman Darrell Watson mentioned And we do not have time to delay this anymore Watson who represents District in northern Denver cautioned his colleagues against increasing the funding request from voters any further Earlier this year the prevailing estimate on the package s size was million Nine-hundred-thirty-five million dollars is I think an extraordinary amount he disclosed The Finance and Business Committee s vote tally on Tuesday was - with Councilman Chris Hinds casting the lone no vote Specific council unease about list The meeting revealed fundamental unease and various disagreement among council members about which projects and which communities the city should prioritize for funding Hinds who represents a central swath of the city petitioned why improvements to East th and th avenues between Broadway and Quebec Street weren t on the project list given the number of accidents that happen on the one-way thoroughfares I m going to vote no because I don t think this is ready he mentioned Council President Amanda Sandoval spoke about the need to direct money to the West th Avenue corridor where on Monday night a cyclist was killed by a hit-and-run driver near Tejon Street The bond list includes about million for multimodal and pedestrian safety improvements on th from Sheridan Boulevard east to Fox Street But she worried that competition for Vibrant Denver funding could spur unwanted disputes between historically underserved neighborhoods I do not want to pit Black communities against Brown communities Sandoval disclosed Councilwoman Sarah Parady sought Patrick Riley the bond plan manager with Denver s Department of Finance whether improvements to the Sixth and Eighth avenue viaducts were getting big billing in the bond package because of the anticipated plans of the Broncos ownership nearby It is impossible to ignore the Broncos as a thing in Denver Riley acknowledged So telling you that there s no weight there or that there s no consideration there would be insulting to everybody at this table But he also declared the condition of the viaducts has long been the subject of discussion and that work on them is an independent need The majority expensive project listed is million for the Eighth Avenue viaduct including replacement of selected of it with an at-grade road Another million would go to repairs and improvements on the Sixth Avenue viaduct What s on the list Johnston released the Vibrant Denver initiative in February But getting council members and the mayor to see eye to eye on what should be funded and at what level has been a bumpy road in new weeks In all there are projects listed for funding Other high-cost items include million for a newly consolidated first responder training center Another million would go toward making road improvements and building a railroad underpass at the National Western Center The buildout of a park on the former Park Hill golf program property would be allocated million Promotion for affordable housing projects by the city s private partners would receive million And Red Rocks Amphitheatre is identified to receive million for backstage expansion and accessibility improvements Riley pointed out that the iconic concert venue in Jefferson County essentially subsidizes Denver s arts scene Our arts and cultural wellbeing exists because Red Rocks allows it to he commented Related Articles Denver mayor negotiates with council on bond package amid frustrations over project list How should Denver spend million Residents pitch bond ideas for street repaving parks and rec centers Denver mayor will pitch new bond package to voters to pay for city projects like parks libraries roads Other notable projects include improvements at Boettcher Concert Hall replacement of a Denver Healthcare family clinic in west Denver replacement of the Sixth Avenue and Lincoln Street bridges over Cherry Creek at Speer Boulevard and renovations of the Denver Animal Shelter the Montbello Branch Library and the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library Changes to the list in latest weeks in response to council concerns included more than a dozen projects added At the same time a project at the Denver Zoo was reduced from million to million and a project for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science also took a hit going from million to million Denver s most of contemporary bond programs were Elevate Denver a -year million general obligation bond package approved by voters in and RISE Denver a five-year million effort approved in both of which still have projects underway or in the queue The city says the bonds issued under Vibrant Denver wouldn t outcome in a property tax increase because they d replace earlier debt as it was paid off Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter