Denver’s long‑planned pedestrian bridge at the National Western Center just moved from concept to contract, inching a new walking and biking shortcut toward reality for the 48th & Brighton area. City officials advanced construction paperwork this week for a span that will link the National Western campus to the RTD N Line at 48th & Brighton, a connection they say should cut roughly a mile off many trips across the maze of nearby rail lines and be ready in time for the 2028 National Western Stock Show if everything stays on schedule.
Contract, builder and timeline
The city contract lists the bridge as File #26‑0071 with a construction award of $12,742,210 and a term of notice to proceed plus 550 days. The deal is filed under the Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center. Ames Construction is named as the contractor, bringing experience from earlier National Western Center infrastructure packages.
Documentation for the agreement, including key terms, appears in the city council committee packet and contract worksheet, which are available in the official record. City Legistar lists the file details, and prior campus work by the contractor is outlined on the Ames Construction site.
Design, span and access
City materials and council committee briefings describe a single‑span pedestrian bridge that will clear nine railroad tracks and tie directly into the RTD N Line’s 48th & Brighton station. The packet lists a 256‑foot main span with landing plazas, elevator towers, staircases, lighting, and communications systems.
Michael Bouchard, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of the National Western Center, told councilmembers the goal is to have the bridge completed and open for the 2028 National Western Stock Show. Officials said the new crossing should trim about a mile off typical walking and biking routes in the area. District 2 Councilmember Kevin Flynn questioned whether the roughly 18‑month construction schedule was overly long, while program manager Sarah DiPietro explained that much of that time will be absorbed by procuring long‑lead items that must comply with federal Buy America requirements, according to reporting by the Denver Gazette.
Timeline and federal rules
The contract sets an 18‑month window for construction and closeout at 550 days after notice to proceed, according to the worksheet filed with the council packet. City Legistar shows the budget and scope items attached to the award…