An executive committee hand-picked by Mayor Mike Johnston has released its recommended list of infrastructure projects, with the goal of securing funding through Johnston’s Vibrant Denver general obligation bond initiative, which could appear on the ballot this fall.

Johnston will now review the recommendations and submit a formal package to the Denver City Council for consideration in the coming weeks, according to a statement from the city.

Precise funding levels will be included in the mayor’s submission to the City Council, after project costs and scopes are finalized.

The City Council will decide whether to refer the bond measure, estimated at nearly $800 million, to the Nov. 4 citywide ballot and consider a companion ordinance that identifies specific projects.

If approved by voters, the bond package would fund critical infrastructure repairs and improvements across Denver over the next six years without raising taxes.

“The proposal we’ve crafted reflects the priorities of our city — reinvesting in our parks, libraries, roads, city facilities, and essential infrastructure,” City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval said in a statement.

City officials said that more than 1,100 project ideas came out of weeks of public outreach and engagement, with 215 making the final cut to move on to further consideration by one of five subcommittees.

Five subcommittees, comprising 55 community and Denver City Council members, helped refine, prioritize, and select suggested projects.

In May, members of the city’s Vibrant Denver Bond working group complained the selection process “felt rushed,” and that the bond issue could wait until 2026.

Johnston’s office disagreed, saying that the process is not rushed.

“Most of these projects are shovel-ready and delaying the ballot initiative (to 2026) would only delay the projects people have asked for even further,” said Jon Ewing, spokesperson for Johnston. “We’re ready to get the projects started and ready to put people to work.”

Committee members have recommended the following projects:

Critical street, bridge, transportation, and pedestrian safety improvements, including:

• Repairs to bridges and underpasses, including Globeville, Elyria and Swansea (GES) connections – Marion Underpass, 38th Street and Blake Street underpass, 6th and 8th avenues viaducts, bridges over Cherry Creek, Quebec Street bridge over Airlawn Road, and intersection improvements at 1st Avenue and University Boulevard
• Much-needed improvements to Santa Fe Drive between 6th and 13th avenues and to West 38th Avenue between Sheridan Boulevard and Fox Street

Public health and safety, including:

• Improvements to the Denver Health Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center
• Construction of the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center’s (DCAC) Children’s Center
• Expansion of the Denver Animal Shelter
• Construction of a First Responder Safety Training Center
• Accessibility improvements to shelter and supportive housing 

City parks, playgrounds, pools, libraries, and facilities across Denver, the committee recommended:

• New safety lighting along the Cherry Creek Trail and Highline Canal Trail
• Improvements to playgrounds, sports courts, lighting, and pool upgrades at Harvey Park, Garland Park, Lindsley Park, Aztlan Pool, Eisenhower Pool, Cook Park Pool, Montbello Recreation Center, Washington Park Pool, Sun Valley Riverfront Park, Southwest Recreation Center Pool and Southwest Auto Park
• Build-out of two new parks at Emporia Park and Park Hill Park
• Aquatic and environmental health improvements to Sloan’s Lake
• Renovations of the Decker Library, Montbello Library, and the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library and Museum
• Landmark signage and public art for the 303 Artway
• Electrification and repairs at city facilities
• Co-locating housing alongside city facilities, starting with funding a new library (with housing on site) in East Denver
• Middle-income housing project development
• Enabling site prep for a future American Indian Cultural Embassy

Capital maintenance support for city-owned, public institutions, including the:

• Denver Zoo
• Boettcher Concert Hall
• Denver Botanic Gardens
• Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• Red Rocks Amphitheater

In 2017 and 2021, Denver voters approved two bond programs that directed funding to infrastructure.

“Elevate Denver” was a 10-year, $937 million general obligation bond, and “RISE Denver” was a five-year, $260 million bond.

Projects from those bonds will all break ground by the end of this calendar year, with completion expected by 2027.

Rather than a traditional 10-year cycle, Johnston’s new bond program will be on an accelerated six-year bond cycle.

Denver voters can authorize general obligation bonds every four to 10 years, which are repaid through property taxes. Denver’s current bond programs are nearly complete, creating “capacity” for new projects, officials said.