Lakewood council approves IGA with RTD to restore W‑Line bridge lighting amid debate on cost, birds and maintenance

The Lakewood City Council approved Resolution R2025‑36 on July 14, authorizing an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Regional Transportation District (RTD) to design, construct, operate and maintain lighting on the W Line bridge over West Sixth Avenue east of Union Boulevard.

The clerk read the item into the record as a request to authorize an IGA with RTD for lighting design, construction, operations and maintenance. After brief public comment from a neighborhood advocate who said the community has long supported restoring the lights, councilors spent more than an hour asking staff detailed questions about cost, procurement and long‑term upkeep.

Staff told the council the most recent contract estimate, produced in October 2024, is $365,000. Councilors were told that Lakewood’s share is expected to be approximately 50 percent of that amount, and that the city’s chief financial officer is authorized by the resolution to pay amounts not to exceed $500,000. Public works director Maria D’Andrea told the council the $365,000 figure is an estimate and that staff would bid the project after the IGA is signed; the final contract would not require another council award vote but the city would communicate the contractor selection and construction schedule.

Councilors raised four recurring concerns: accuracy and currency of the cost estimate, vulnerability to tariffs and material price increases, whether RTD would reliably perform maintenance over time, and environmental impacts — particularly bird migration and dark‑sky considerations. Councilor Ken Cruz asked staff to pursue an enforcement or accountability clause in the IGA to protect the city’s investment; City Attorney Gus Schenk said the IGA before the council is the product of negotiation with RTD and that any material changes would likely require reopening negotiations with RTD and a return to council.

City engineering and capital projects staff described why the design uses uplighting on fixed bridge structures rather than placing fixtures on the cables; they cited reliability and access issues. Ray Hill, city engineer, said operational details — including on/off timing, color and hours of illumination — would be negotiated with RTD and could be incorporated into operations.

Insight Lighting was identified in staff materials as the vendor being used for planning; staff said Insight Lighting is Buy America Act compliant. Councilor discussion noted the capital improvement fund balance and observed that the funds were previously budgeted for this project in past budgets. Supporters framed the decision as placemaking and economic development; critics cited competing capital needs such as sidewalks and stormwater.

The council approved the resolution by voice vote; the clerk recorded the outcome as 9 yeses and 2 noes. The meeting transcript records the two no votes and a formal tally as part of the record. The resolution authorizes the city manager and the CFO to execute the IGA and to expend funds up to the authorized limit.

The IGA assigns routine and capital maintenance responsibility to RTD, with an appropriations clause that preserves RTD’s obligation only to the extent funding is appropriated in their budgets. City legal staff told council that a material failure by RTD to meet maintenance obligations would be enforceable as a breach of contract, with remedies available to the city.

Construction procurement and a final contract award will move forward under staff authority after bids are returned; staff said they would notify council of the selected contractor and timeline.