“I never wanted to live in a gated community,” one resident said, admitting that “it’s out of control.”
The Colorado town of Bow Mar has voted to install gates at two entrances in an effort to curb cut-through traffic, sparking a dispute with neighboring communities over access to public roads. Town officials say the move is necessary to protect residents. Colorado is a sanctuary state that has policies in place that prevent local law enforcement from assisting immigration agents in the state in arresting illegal immigrants.
Bow Mar, a town of roughly 1,000 people southwest of Denver, began considering the gates after a traffic study found that approximately 1,200 vehicles passed through the area daily. The town is used by many drivers who commute between Denver and Littleton. Notably, Bow Mar is a wealthy town, with the median household income being over $241,000.
Local officials have raised concerns that the traffic poses a danger to children playing outdoors and older residents. Since the beginning of 2023, Bow Mar police have issued more than 1,260 traffic citations, about half of which involved speeding.
The town previously attempted to address the problem by imposing a 20 mph speed limit, but officials found that the measure did not discourage drivers from using its streets as a shortcut. Now, town leaders have approved the plan to install traffic gates at two entrances that would prioritize residents, as well as close an additional access point. The proposal received unanimous support at a town council meeting on Monday.
The gates could be installed as early as Thanksgiving. However, they would not be operational until January.
The plan has sparked a larger debate. One resident whose young son was nearly struck by a truck while changing a bicycle tire told The New York Times, “I never wanted to live in a gated community,” but admitted, “it’s out of control.” The truck driver drove into a mailbox, and the driver faced a reckless driving charge and vehicular assault for being drunk.
Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn was angered over the plan and speculated Denver officials could retaliate by installing their own gate. He told CBS, “I think what they’re proposing is exacerbating our safety concerns by cutting off access to a public right of way to our residents.”
“That’s not acceptable for us, for Bow Mar to be creating a significant traffic hazard for us in the course of resolving theirs,” he added.
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