Poll results could arrive as soon as Tuesday on whether Colorado should move forward with a controversial $28.5 million bridge connecting the State Capitol to Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park — a proposal veterans groups say is disrespectful.

The state has already allocated $8.5 million of taxpayer money to initiate the project, but the remaining funds will need to be raised through private donations. The initial cost is $18 million, but an additional $10 million will be required for future improvements.

Under the plan, the bridge would be completed in time for Colorado’s 150th anniversary on Aug. 1, 2026.

Veterans’ groups, however, are calling on Gov. Jared Polis to abandon the project, stating, “Our sacred spaces are not for sale, not for political show, and not to be paved over. They are to be protected as the living legacy of those who served and sacrificed for the freedoms we all enjoy.”

The joint statement is issued by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), and the Gold Star Wives of America.

Spokesman Steve Kjonaas said the veterans’ organizations first sat down with the governor’s office on July 16 to discuss the bridge, a meeting that included lawmakers.

For some people, the meeting went poorly, Kjonaas said. There were discussions of what else could be done instead of the bridge, such as a monument to identify people killed in action, or a memorial to the National Guard.

There was pushback from the governor’s staff, he said, including a statement that they would not budge from their position.

Kjonaas said they were hoping for a more collaborative situation, such as forming a group that would look at potential projects.

The statement said the project “is not merely an architectural endeavor; it is an affront to the sacred trust this state holds with its veterans and their families.”

Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park is “more than green space. It is hallowed ground dedicated to the memory of those who served, sacrificed, and, for many, never returned home,” the statement added.

As to the bridge itself, the statement said the bridge is unnecessary and disrespectful, a “symbol of disregard” for the sacrifices of veterans and their families, and that any plan to alter or intrude on the space violates the spirit of commitment made by the state to keep the park as a permanent memorial.

The statement also pointed out that in recent memory, “it was veterans and volunteers from our organizations who stepped forward to guard and protect, and to restore dignity to these grounds after civic unrest left them marred.”

That’s a reference to 2020 and 2021. In 2020, protesters took over the park as part of protests over the murder of George Floyd. In 2021, the park became a center for a homeless encampment, as well as a hub for criminal activity and public health concerns. The city of Denver closed the park and removed the encampment.

Polis requested public comment via a survey released on July 15, with a response deadline of midnight on Monday night.

The survey asked four questions:

• Should Colorado proceed with the proposed 150th Anniversary walkway at the State Capitol complex in Denver?

• If Colorado does not proceed with the 150th-anniversary walkway, would you like to see (with several options)

• If Colorado does proceed with the 150th anniversary walkway, would you like to see (with several options)

• 2026 is just around the corner! Are you more excited about – the state’s 150th anniversary, the nation’s 250th anniversary, or both equally?

The survey has since been removed from the website.