People experiencing homelessness are increasingly setting up encampments inside bridge girders in the Denver area [1, 2].
This trend has forced state engineers to modify bridge designs to prevent access, as these hidden shelters create significant maintenance and safety concerns.
Over the past five years, the state has cleaned out more than 50 bridges in the Denver region [1]. These operations have cost taxpayers more than $300,000 [1].
Engineers are specifically concerned with tub girders, which provide a sheltered, enclosed space that is often invisible from the road. Because these areas are difficult to monitor, they can become long-term residences for those without housing [2].
To address the issue, bridge engineers are now making design changes to curb access to these interior spaces [2]. The goal is to eliminate the voids where encampments are typically established, reducing the need for costly and frequent clean-up operations [1, 2].
State officials said that the cost of cleaning these structures is a recurring burden on public funds [1]. The shift toward deterrent design reflects a growing effort to manage the intersection of public infrastructure and the homelessness crisis in Colorado.
“The state has cleaned out more than 50 bridges in the Denver region.”
The shift toward 'hostile architecture' in bridge design illustrates a move by municipal authorities to address homelessness through infrastructure modification rather than social services. By removing the physical possibility of shelter within bridge girders, the state reduces immediate maintenance costs and safety risks, but it does not address the underlying shortage of housing that drives people into industrial voids.
