Denver residents weighed in on Mayor Mike Johnston’s Vibrant Bond projects on Monday during the city’s regular council meeting.

More than 100 people signed up to speak during the special one-hour public comment period, sharing their thoughts on how the Johnston administration would like to spend close to $1 billion in proposed bond funding.

Those individuals who did speak touched on project topics ranging from pedestrian and bike safety, to the city’s proposed new American Indian Cultural Embassy. 

Still reeling from recent cyclists’ deaths, some speakers pushed for the city to reconsider infrastructure repairs along the Sixth and Eighth Avenue viaducts, and consider investing in more traffics safety projects.

An $18 million bond amendment proposed by District 5 Councilmember Amanda Sawyer passed later in the evening to include implementation of the East Avenues Study, which will bring traffic calming improvements to both 13th and 14th Avenues from Colorado Boulevard to Quebec Street.

Here’s what some Denverites had to say:

Jeff Helgerson, Barnum neighborhood:

“I would like to come out against the bond package in its current form due to its lack of safety improvements for cycling and walking infrastructure. Looking through this, it appears that there is basically none, despite the earlier statement to the contrary. And in fact, a lot of these seem to be repaving projects and projects that are designed to move more cars and move them faster, as well as projects, for instance, like the Park Hill Golf Course conversion — that I’m confused as to how it was recommended, given that the city didn’t even own the land until about a month ago.”

Katherine Jenkins, Mayfair neighborhood:

“I live in between 13th and 14th on Glencoe Street, and traffic has been an issue in the five years that I’ve lived there, but it’s also become more and more of an issue after the Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has taken on and construction has started. Just Monday, we had an accident along 13th at the intersection of Glencoe, where police did not come for over three hours … People don’t feel like they can walk on the streets or bike along the streets. It’s made us feel isolated, and this is not an issue that only face in the Mayfair neighborhood, but across all of the neighborhoods on 13th and 14th as a city of Denver…”

Rebeca Perez:

“I wanted to share my disappointment in the scope of the transportation projects recommended for the GO bond and to urge the city council to replace the Sixth and Eighth Avenue bridge repair projects on this list with safety improvements for the 13th and 14th Avenues and the Broadway bikeway project….Deferred maintenance and street repaving should be funded through alternative funding sources, rather than bonding.”

Dustin Baird

Today, I’m here to speak in strong support of the proposed tribal embassy under the vibrant Denver bond initiative. According to the 2020 census, over 107,000 people live here in Denver and identify as American Indian or Alaskan native. This makes Denver home to one of the largest urban Native populations in the country… This (American Indian Cultural Embassy) is more than just a building. It’s a recognition of our presence, of commitment to inclusion and an opportunity for Denver to lead the nation and how it honors and collaborates with tribal nations. … I respectfully urge the council to continue supporting the tribal embassy through the Vibrant Denver bond.” 

If approved by the City Council by Aug.25, the nearly $1 billion general bond initiative will appear on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot.