Colorado bridge closure cuts key community connection, city leaders say fix is complicated

A pedestrian bridge connecting Lakewood and Wheat Ridge for decades is now closed, leaving families concerned about the loss of what they say is a critical route for children traveling to school, friends' homes and neighborhood activities.

The bridge near Twilight Drive and Oak Street was recently closed after concerns about its condition were raised.

Families who rely on it say they understand the need for safety but the closure has highlighted its importance in the community and are pushing city leaders to find a solution.

For generations, the bridge has been a key part of daily life in the neighborhood.

"It is a vital part of our everyday life," said parent Kristi Reindl.

Students say the bridge provides a safer route to school than nearby roads.

"I use it to get to school most often, and ... it's also just, like, a safer way than going up on the busy road up there," one student said.

"Because you would have to take the main road. There's no sidewalk. It's just a bike lane ... there's a bunch of cars going really fast," said student Kelson Reindl.

The bridge also served as a gathering place for neighborhood children.

"We would always meet up from on the bridge, like to walk our dogs, but the bridge is closed, so we can't do that anymore," another child said.

Neighbors say barricades appeared shortly before the school year began and that they received no advance notice.

"We're just curious why and who decided it was unsafe. I mean, it's never been unsafe," said Craig Strang.

Residents say the closure has created new challenges.

"Well, it makes it very inconvenient. Now I'm a little old to be squatting underneath the sign, but that's what I'll be doing in just a second," Strang added.

Parents also worry about the increased risks as families are forced onto busier routes.

"We just recently moved to this particular neighborhood, maybe a year and a half ago, just from across the street. So it was basically about 0.2 miles, and a big part of that was to allow the kids to be able to jump on their bikes or walk to school and not have to cross over 26th, which is just a busier," said Robyn Odendahl.

Jessie Streelman, who helps lead walk-and-roll efforts at a nearby school, raised similar concerns.

"It's a national event just to kind of promote the idea of walking and riding to school and making sure that there are safe routes to do so. And right now, our safest route is closed, and the only other routes are major streets. And one of those streets doesn't have a sidewalk or a bike lane," Streelman said.

City of Wheat Ridge spokesperson Amanda Harrison says Rocky Mountain Water Company,  which manages the irrigation ditch beneath the bridge, determined the structure was unsafe and asked the city to install barricades.

"There's a lot of rotted boards and other issues that make the bridge unstable. And safety is our number-one priority, and we need to make sure that if it's being used, it's done so in a safe way," Harrison said.

However, the city says repairs will not be as simple as replacing a few boards.

Harrison said officials have been unable to identify a legal owner of the bridge and believe it was built by community members decades ago without permits. She said multiple jurisdictions will need to be involved in any long-term solution.

"There's a lot of players because the bridge it connects Lakewood and Wheat Ridge, it's on property that's unincorporated Jeffco, and then there's the Rocky Mountain Water Company that owns the ditch and is responsible for anything that goes through that ditch or over the ditch, so a lot of moving players, as well as a lot of serious complications like the safety of the bridge, like the safety of the ditch," Harrison said.

Before the bridge can reopen, the city says both the bridge and embankment must meet current safety and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

"I think it's up to the city of Wheat Ridge and Lakewood to find a solution together -- and we've got great neighbors. So I'm fully confident working together we're going to find a solution," Harrison added.

The city of Wheat Ridge says it has identified potential grant opportunities that could help fund a replacement bridge.

CBS Colorado has learned the work, however, could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

We asked Lakewood to weigh in on concerns with the bridge. A spokesperson provided the following statement:

Lakewood recognizes the community's concerns about the closure of the pedestrian bridge near Twilight Drive and Oak Street within Wheat Ridge's city limits and the impact the closure has on those who use this neighborhood connection. The situation is complex because the bridge is outside Lakewood city limits and sits largely on land owned by Jefferson County.

The city also understands the reasons Rocky Mountain Water Company asked Wheat Ridge to close the bridge, as indicated in the company's recent statement (see second attachment) because protecting people's safety must be a priority. As the company's statement indicates, no individual or entity has been identified as the owner of the structure that would be responsible for repair, restoration and continued maintenance. Given these circumstances, Lakewood's role in addressing the bridge is limited, but the city remains engaged with its regional partners to explore ways to collectively address this challenging issue together.

It's important to understand Lakewood has numerous priorities for the limited funds that pay for infrastructure projects that our residents want completed within Lakewood's boundaries. Lakewood, like cities across the metro area, is managing a constrained budget, and funding is allocated to the highest priorities. Because the bridge is located outside the city's limits, any potential project for the bridge would have to be evaluated in relation to these already established priorities and Lakewood's broader needs. Given that this project isn't part of the city's capital funding priorities, there are no plans to have a public discussion on the topic.