Denver considers $5.33 million funding package for Broadway Station pedestrian bridge
A proposed $4 million state grant and about $1.3 million in local matching funds would advance a bridge connecting Broadway Station with the Santa Fe Yards stadium redevelopment, but its full construction cost and funding gap remain undisclosed.
Denver is considering a $5.33 million funding package to advance a pedestrian bridge connecting the Broadway light-rail station with the planned NWSL stadium and Santa Fe Yards redevelopment. Construction remains years away and depends on securing additional money.
The Aug. 12 South Platte River Committee presentation says the Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant would provide $4 million, while about $1.3 million in local matching funds would come from underspending on the Bettie Cram Bridge. The agreement has $5,333,333 in contract capacity and would run through Dec. 31, 2029.
The funding would support design, engineering documents, site work and foundations for the North Broadway, or North Pedestrian, Bridge. Eligible work could also include decking, railings, elevators, ADA ramps, finishes and signage.
Design is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. Construction is projected for 2029 or 2030, contingent on funding. The city expects to seek regional mill-levy revenue and additional grants, prioritizing outside funding over its Capital Improvement Program.
The records do not provide a bridge-specific construction budget or say how much remains to be raised. They describe up to $70 million in broader public investment under the Santa Fe Yards stadium-site agreement: up to $50 million for land acquisition and stadium-site improvements and up to $20 million for off-site improvements. Those figures cover multiple redevelopment needs, including parks, streets, sidewalks, trails, utilities, safety systems, planning and professional services; they are not a budget for the bridge alone.
A proposed second amendment to Denver’s 2025 agreement with Broadway Station Metropolitan District No. 1 would make Denver responsible for the bridge’s costs, subject to appropriations and budget approval. The city could manage construction or establish terms for the metropolitan district to do so. After completion, the district would own and maintain the bridge and be responsible for its repairs and replacement.
The bridge would carry pedestrians over railroad and RTD facilities between the station and the stadium-area redevelopment. The Santa Fe Yards plan envisions the former Gates manufacturing site near I-25 and Broadway as a transit-accessible community hub with a public park. RTD’s Broadway North Pedestrian Bridge investment summary lists engineering review and coordination as a 2026 milestone and describes the bridge as supporting development west of Broadway, including the soccer stadium.
The related legislative matters are Council Bill 26-1166, concerning acceptance of the DOLA grant, and Council Bill 26-1163, concerning the second IGA amendment. The available official Denver Legistar legislation and calendar records did not show a committee recommendation, vote tally, action date or final disposition for either bill as of Aug. 12. Their appearance as committee-action items and the presentation materials show they were under consideration, not that the City Council had approved them.
The proposed schedule puts bridge design in 2027 and construction in 2029 or 2030, alongside the Santa Fe Yards redevelopment rather than after it. The presentation also anticipates utility relocation in September 2026 and says design work continues on Vanderbilt Park East, whose opening is planned to coincide with the stadium.