A “Sidewalk Closed” sign by a construction site in Denver on July 14, 2025. (Hayden Kim/BusinessDen)
Denver voters’ decision to make the city responsible for sidewalks is poised to send tens of millions worth of work to a pair of contracting firms.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration is asking the City Council to approve two contracts totaling $75 million related to the Sidewalk Enterprise Program.
One contract with Centennial-based SEMA Construction would pay the firm $50 million over three years, according to city documents. The second contract with Arvada-based Milender White would pay the firm $25 million over the same period.
Both firms would provide “integrated construction services,” including constructing new sidewalks, repairing existing ones or rebuilding existing ones to bring them up to Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The contracts were discussed at a City Council committee meeting Tuesday and will be voted on in the coming weeks.
The contracts are on top of an existing $15 million with HNTB Corp. for three years of program management and engineering services for the sidewalk program.
Sidewalk installation and maintenance has historically been the responsibility of individual property owners in Denver. But many don’t undertake repairs swiftly, which can impact sidewalk usability. And some stretches of the city lack sidewalks entirely.
In November 2022, Denver voters approved a citizen-led ballot initiative that shifted sidewalk responsibility to the city itself.
At the start of 2025, Denver began charging property owners a fee to support the future sidewalk work. The vast majority of owners — 96%, according to the city — are charged $150 annually. Those whose property contains more than 230 linear feet of sidewalk are charged an additional $3.50 for each additional foot.
Denver expects to take in $108.4 million in sidewalk fees over the first three years.
Spot sidewalk repair work is expected to begin this month and construction of new sidewalks will start in December.
The following stretches have been identified as “2025 shovel-ready projects,” according to city documents:
• East 44th Avenue (Pearl Street to Sherman Street)
• Sheridan Boulevard (Colfax Avenue to 17th Avenue)
• Tower Road (Pena Boulevard to 72nd Avenue)
• West Evans Avenue (Patton Court to Osceola Street)
A “Sidewalk Closed” sign by a construction site in Denver on July 14, 2025. (Hayden Kim/BusinessDen)
Denver voters’ decision to make the city responsible for sidewalks is poised to send tens of millions worth of work to a pair of contracting firms.
Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration is asking the City Council to approve two contracts totaling $75 million related to the Sidewalk Enterprise Program.
One contract with Centennial-based SEMA Construction would pay the firm $50 million over three years, according to city documents. The second contract with Arvada-based Milender White would pay the firm $25 million over the same period.
Both firms would provide “integrated construction services,” including constructing new sidewalks, repairing existing ones or rebuilding existing ones to bring them up to Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The contracts were discussed at a City Council committee meeting Tuesday and will be voted on in the coming weeks.
The contracts are on top of an existing $15 million with HNTB Corp. for three years of program management and engineering services for the sidewalk program.
Sidewalk installation and maintenance has historically been the responsibility of individual property owners in Denver. But many don’t undertake repairs swiftly, which can impact sidewalk usability. And some stretches of the city lack sidewalks entirely.
In November 2022, Denver voters approved a citizen-led ballot initiative that shifted sidewalk responsibility to the city itself.
At the start of 2025, Denver began charging property owners a fee to support the future sidewalk work. The vast majority of owners — 96%, according to the city — are charged $150 annually. Those whose property contains more than 230 linear feet of sidewalk are charged an additional $3.50 for each additional foot.
Denver expects to take in $108.4 million in sidewalk fees over the first three years.
Spot sidewalk repair work is expected to begin this month and construction of new sidewalks will start in December.
The following stretches have been identified as “2025 shovel-ready projects,” according to city documents:
• East 44th Avenue (Pearl Street to Sherman Street)
• Sheridan Boulevard (Colfax Avenue to 17th Avenue)
• Tower Road (Pena Boulevard to 72nd Avenue)
• West Evans Avenue (Patton Court to Osceola Street)
