Denver City Council approved a $12.7 million contract on Monday to build a pedestrian bridge at the National Western Center, the latest in a slew of capital projects for the Elyria-Swansea campus.
The 250-foot pedestrian bridge will connect the east and west parts of the campus near the N Line Station at 48th and Brighton, crossing nine railroad tracks near the Stockyards Event Center.
Currently, the only path between the east and west parts of the campus is the underpass at Marion Street. Officials say the pedestrian bridge will also connect NWC to the rest of the neighborhood.
Ames Construction is expected to finish the bridge by the end of 2027.
The bridge will include elevator towers, similar to another pedestrian bridge at 38th and Blake, as well as staircases and lighting.
Part of the funding is coming from the U.S. Department of Infrastructure, which gave the city $35 million for a series of neighborhood-level projects.
The Western Center’s construction boom will continue.
For this year’s National Western Stock Show, attendees were invited to tour two of the new buildings on campus — the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center and The Legacy. The new buildings feature a new arena, a livestock hall and art galleries.
The Western Center’s expansion isn’t done. Denver City Council recently approved $812 million for the next phase of construction on the campus. The money will pay for a new equestrian center, a 160-room hotel, a parking garage and more.
