Denver and Littleton push back against Bow Mar's plan to gate off town roads

The Town of Bow Mar is considering gating off its town from bordering cities Denver and Littleton to limit what they say is cut-through traffic.

However, public roads from the neighboring cities would run up to those gates, and the cities say it could create traffic and safety problems for thousands of their constituents on the other side.

The gates would limit access to Bow Mar streets to residents and their guests and change how people from neighboring communities travel through the area.

One nearby Denver resident, Kevin St. Croix, said this would block his main commute home.

"It kind of hurt, [Bow Mar] thinking about themselves and they're not really considering anybody else," he said.

St. Croix said this would impact his daily life, including his "commute to the store, commute to Bear Valley, all the shopping to get on the highway on 285."

Concerned residents have not only put up signs in the neighborhood protesting the gates, but have also brought the issue to officials in Littleton and Denver. This would impact constituents under Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn's district.

"Our portion of Sheridan Boulevard cannot be their private driveway," Flynn said.

Flynn said he is concerned that closing access points could create backups and safety concerns near Sheridan Boulevard.

"Putting a block at Sheridan Boulevard creates a tremendous safety issue for my constituents," he said.

Neighbors like St. Croix agree, adding, "It would be a mess, and people would be pressuring each other to get out there and turn, and it's just a matter of some serious accidents happening," St. Croix said.

This week, the mayors of Denver and Littleton sent a letter to Bow Mar officials asking the town to pause the project.

If the town moves forward, Denver officials have discussed the possibility of installing their own gate on their side of the town's border, ultimately blocking the access point. However, Flynn says that would be a last resort, and he hopes to find a compromise.

"They expect to have safety on their side of the border, and we expect the same thing," Flynn said.

According to information posted on Bow Mar's website, town leaders believe the project would improve traffic safety and reduce the volume of vehicles cutting through the neighborhood. According to Bow Mar's website, a 2020 study in the town showed more than half of the traffic traveling through Bow Mar is cut-through traffic.

Online documents also show construction of the gates was originally expected to be finished by this month, but no evidence of construction activity was visible during a visit to the area.

CBS Colorado reached out to Bow Mar officials through multiple channels but did not receive a response.