Elected officials in Golden denounced a proposed deal Tuesday between the Northwest Parkway toll road and a Portuguese firm. The deal requires Broomfield to support extending the highway south through Jefferson County to Interstate 70 in Golden.

Rep. Gwyn Green, D-Golden, and Golden Mayor Pro Tem Jacob Smith accused Broomfield of selling its soul to developers.

The charge came hours before the Broomfield City Council voted 9-1 to approve the parkway agreement that calls for the foreign company to contribute $60 million to extend Northwest Parkway south through the Flatirons Crossing area to Colorado 128, the originally planned southern end of the toll road.

"It's nothing more than a vanity beltway that will destroy lovely parks and towns in the process of padding developers' pockets," Green said.

Three Golden officials, including Mayor Charles Barouch and Smith had spoken against the deal at the Broomfield council meeting during its citizen comment period. There was no public hearing held on the resolution.

Broomfield Councilwoman Bette Erickson was the dissenting vote on the resolution and said Golden's opposition played a part in her decision.

Erickson also said she had questions about the benefit of the extension.

"Why would the extension be any more successful than the Northwest Parkway?" she asked.

"We haven't done the cost benefits of extending it." However, she said the vote by the council means Broomfield can go to the Northwest Parkway Authority and say it supports the agreement.

"The deal with (Brisa Auto-Estrada) will be closed as planned," she said.

washingtonam@RockyMountainNews.com