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Bear Creek Trail improvements win Colorado Lottery Starburst and People’s Choice awards
Summary
The Bear Creek Trail Improvement Project, funded by multiple grants, won the 2025 Colorado Lottery Starburst Award and the inaugural People’s Choice Award; Lakewood officials and the Colorado Lottery praised the project’s safety and ecosystem protections.
Lakewood’s Bear Creek Trail Improvement Project received two statewide honors on Sept. 22: the Colorado Lottery’s 2025 Starburst Award and the 2025 People’s Choice Award, the city announced during the council meeting.
The Bear Creek Trail runs seven miles in the Bear Creek Greenbelt on Lakewood’s south side, from near C‑470 east to Wadsworth Boulevard in Denver and draws about 450,000 visitors annually for walking, biking, fishing and horseback riding. The improvement project, paid for with grant funding including Jefferson County Open Space, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Lakewood’s TABOR fund, widened several trail segments from 8 feet to 10 feet, replaced bridges and added a 3‑ to 6‑foot soft surface trail that parallels the concrete path. City staff and lottery officials said the work improves safety, creates separation among user types and enhances access to natural areas.
“We are the only lottery in the entire world that 100% of our primary proceeds go back to protecting and enhancing our outdoor experiences in the state,” said Adrienne, the Colorado Lottery proceeds manager, during a presentation to council. She highlighted the project’s attention to riparian protections and community benefit.
The People’s Choice Award was decided by a public vote open in July; Lakewood won by 13 votes over another Starburst recipient, Hanging Lake. Lottery staff said about 13,000 votes were cast statewide.
City staff said the trail work also improves long‑term maintenance access and user separation to reduce conflicts between pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians. A short presentation to council described the project’s partnerships, funding and design features.
