Inside the Vibrant Denver Bond: What Voters Will Decide This November

DENVER, CO – In November, Denver voters will consider five separate ballot measures, labeled 2A through 2E, that together authorize nearly one billion dollars in capital investments for transportation, parks, health facilities, libraries and cultural sites, and housing and shelter. If approved, the City and County of Denver would issue general obligation bonds and repay investors over time using existing property tax revenue. City materials state there would be no new tax increase, and funds would be restricted to voter-approved projects.

Courtesy of the Vibrant Denver Bond Campaign

What is the Vibrant Denver Bond

A general obligation, or GO bond is a financial tool used by cities to pay for large projects that cost more than a single annual budget can realistically fund. The city sells bonds to receive cash up front. Over many years, the city repays bondholders principal plus interest from a dedicated property tax levy. Denver already collects property tax for past voter-approved bonds. For this package, officials say the city would use existing capacity rather than raise the tax rate.

Key mechanics at a glance

• Authorization is by category. Voters decide each measure separately: 2A through 2E. Any category that fails is not funded.

• Repayment source. Debt service is paid from existing property tax revenue dedicated to bonds.

• Use of funds. Bond proceeds can be used only for the specific voter-approved projects or programs listed under each measure. They cannot be redirected to unrelated costs or to backfill operating budgets.

• Transparency. The measures include annual public reporting on expenditures and progress.

• If a measure fails. The city would apply the existing bond levy to retire existing debt, rather than issuing new bonds for that category.

How to Read Your Ballot

Each question asks whether Denver may increase its debt by a stated principal amount within a maximum total repayment cost that includes interest. The ballot language also lists representative uses of funds inside the category.

For clarity, below are the five measures with headline amounts and examples of projects or programs within each.

2A. Transportation and Mobility ≈ 441 million dollars

Purpose: Repair and replacement of high-priority bridges and underpasses, safety upgrades at intersections and corridors, improved roadway operations and access, and multimodal connections for people walking, biking, rolling, and taking transit.

Bridge and Corridor Work

• 6th Avenue Viaduct repairs and mobility improvements. Structural work on one of the central city’s busiest corridors, plus near-term access and connectivity upgrades and pre-design for future full replacement.

• 8th Avenue Viaduct and multimodal improvements. Significant reconstruction with a goal of reconnecting the street grid and improving local access.

• Bridges over Cherry Creek at 6th Avenue and Lincoln Street. Replacement of two aging structures that carry emergency response routes and serve the Denver Health campus.

Corridor Safety and Operations

• Santa Fe Drive streetscape and safety, 6th to 13th. Wider sidewalks, reconfigured lanes, shorter crossing distances, new lighting and seating, planters, refined bus stop spacing, turn lanes at key intersections, and a posted speed limit reduction.

• West 38th Avenue multimodal project, Sheridan to Fox. Sidewalk widening where feasible, enhanced crossings, bus stop and signal improvements, and green infrastructure elements.

• 1st and University

• Marion Underpass in Globeville–Elyria–Swansea. A new rail undercrossing to connect neighborhoods to the RTD N Line station and unlock safe access for people walking and biking.

Spot Safety Improvements

• Dozens of pedestrian crossing upgrades citywide, including beacons and intersection geometry fixes.

• 100+ intersection improvements including traffic signal replacements and new signals in high-need locations.

• Targeted neighborhood safety projects on corridors such as Evans, Holly, Uinta, Exposition, and the 13th–14th pair between Colorado and Quebec.

Context: Transportation is the largest share of the package. Two expensive projects, 6th and 8th Avenue, sit near the area where the Broncos have discussed a future new stadium. City staff cite structural need and reliability as the primary drivers, but note, no bond funds will go to the Broncos.Some safety advocates have argued for a larger portion of funding dedicated solely to protected bike projects. The measure’s project list mixes heavy bridge work with critical safety improvements corridor calming and crossing safety.

2B. Parks and Recreation ≈ 175 million dollars

Purpose: Creation and improvement of parks and open space, pool and playground replacements, trail lighting, and acquisition for a new regional recreation center and a southeast skate park hub.

Major Projects

• Converting the former Park Hill Golf Course into Denver’s fourth largest park. The first phase includes core infrastructure like irrigation, paths, parking, and a mix of community amenities such as a regional playground, sports fields and courts, water play, picnic areas, dog park, and passive open space.

• Southeast recreation center acquisition and skate park hub. Addresses a service gap in the southeast, paired with a wheeled sports hub consistent with the city’s outdoor adventure plan.

Citywide Improvements

• Pool renovations at Aztlan, Cook, Eisenhower, Washington Park, and a southwest outdoor pool.

• Playground replacements at Garland, Hirshorn, and Platt.

• Cherry Creek Trail lighting upgrades.

• Sun Valley Riverfront Park, phase funding.

• Environmental and habitat work at Sloan’s Lake to improve water quality and shoreline resilience.

• Emporia Park buildout and targeted improvements at Harvey and Lindsley Parks, along with a neighborhood shade plaza in Montbello and small gathering spaces.

Context: Park Hill Park’s inclusion follows years of public discussion about the site’s future. Supporters view the bond as a path to deliver a large regional park in one of the city’s few remaining open tracts. Others would prefer the city pair the development of a park with the delivery of more housing on or near the site through separate processes. The bond funds park construction only.

2C. Health and Human Services ≈ 30 million dollars

Purpose: Two major facility investments aimed at expanding access to care and improving coordinated services for children and families.

Projects

• Denver Health Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center replacement, about 20 million dollars. New clinic in Sun Valley that expands capacity for primary care and adds services such as dental, OB/GYN, physical and occupational therapy, and radiology including ultrasound, X-ray, and mammography.

• Denver Children’s Advocacy Center, Children’s Justice Center, about 10 million dollars. A trauma-informed, child-focused facility that co-locates partners including DPD, Human Services, the District Attorney, Denver Health, and DCAC. The center will provide forensic interviews, medical evaluations, mental health care, and victim advocacy in one place.

Context: Westside is one of Denver Health’s busiest clinics, serving tens of thousands of visits annually. DCAC reports demand that exceeds its current facility’s capacity. Both projects leverage bond dollars alongside other funding sources.

2D. Cultural and City Facilities ≈ 244 million dollars

Purpose: Critical repairs at libraries and cultural sites, modernization of city facilities, and construction of a new First Responder and Public Safety Training Center serving Police, Fire, and Sheriff under one campus.

Examples of Funded Work

• Libraries. Upgrades at Blair-Caldwell, Decker, Green Valley Ranch ideaLAB, Montbello, and systemwide improvements like HVAC, accessibility, and building systems.

• Cultural venues and city assets. Projects at Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver Zoo, Red Rocks, and the May Bonfils Stanton Theater at Loretto Heights.

• American Indian Cultural Embassy and an Arie P. Taylor Senior Center.

• Denver Animal Shelter renovations to expand rescue and care services.

• First Responder and Public Safety Training Center. Shared simulation spaces, a driving track, range, classrooms, and wellness facilities designed to improve training quality and interdepartmental collaboration.

Context: Cultural leaders frame these investments as core building-system needs that protect collections, improve accessibility, and handle visitor demand. Fiscal critics point to the long repayment horizon and total interest costs baked into each category’s maximum repayment amounts.

2E. Housing and Shelter ≈ 59 million dollars

Purpose: Capital funds for affordable housing development and improvements to existing shelter and supportive housing facilities, with a focus on accessibility and safety.

Programs

• ADA and safety improvements at 23 shelter and supportive housing sites across the city, about 11.4 million dollars. Examples include building access, elevator and life-safety system repairs, emergency lighting, and other code and safety upgrades.

• Co-located Library and Housing on the east side, about 10 million dollars. Construction of a library that is paired with privately developed affordable housing.

• Affordable Housing Project Development, about 45 million dollars. Capital for land, building acquisition, or site preparation to support production or preservation of affordable housing. The city may own land or buildings or partner through leases to deliver projects. Bond dollars are expected to leverage other public and private sources.

Context: Previous bonds focused largely on temporary shelter space. This measure extends into housing development capital. Supporters argue the city needs permanent additions to the affordable housing inventory. Some advocates would prefer a larger, fully public housing program. Major housing nonprofits have endorsed the bond’s direction.

Program Totals and Repayment

Each ballot measure lists both a principal amount and a maximum repayment cost that includes projected interest over the life of the bonds. The city sells bonds in series, often with varied maturities between 10 and 30 years. Market interest rates, the timing of sales, and credit ratings influence total interest paid. City materials state the program would be funded by the existing bond mill levy, and that approval would not require a new tax increase. If voters reject all or part of the program, the city would use existing bond levy capacity to retire current debt faster.

What Are Supporters & Critics Saying?

Supporters say this is a smart time to address aging infrastructure. They point to bridges approaching the end of service life, the need for safer streets and crossings, a once-in-a-generation chance to create Park Hill Park, and facility upgrades that protect cultural assets and expand access to health and shelter services. Delaying capital work can increase costs as materials and labor escalate.

Skeptics say the city’s total principal and interest obligations are already substantial and that borrowing costs can crowd out other priorities. Some also object to the distribution of funds within categories, arguing for a larger share to go toward protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety or toward fully public housing. Others question whether certain transportation projects near potential stadium sites should be prioritized now.

Developing Denver’s role is to present the facts, link to source documents, and make the project lists easy to navigate so voters can weigh the tradeoffs.

What Happens Next

• Ballots and voting. Ballot language summarizes allowed uses and states the principal and maximum repayment totals. Voters decide each category separately.

• If approved. The city would schedule bond sales over several years, start design and preconstruction on early projects, and publish annual public reports on expenditures and progress.

• If rejected. The city would not issue bonds for that category and would apply existing bond levy capacity to accelerate retirement of past debt.

Special Note

This article was created in partnership with the Vibrant Denver Bond campaign. Their sponsorship helped fund the research and production of this coverage so we could provide clear, up-to-date information about the 2025 bond measures. Developing Denver retains full editorial control over its reporting. Our goal is to present factual, balanced coverage of Denver’s urban growth, infrastructure, and policy decisions so voters can make informed choices at the ballot box.

Paid Partnership with Vibrant Denver Bond.

All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.

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All project information was sourced from publicly available site plans, renderings, and permitting documents.