Colorado city opens practice park for bicycle safety following loss of young teen

Following the death of a Colorado teenager in a bicycling crash, one Colorado city decided to build its residents a place to practice cycling safely.

The City of Littleton is trying to make its streets safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. It opened a "Safer Streets Practice Park" earlier this month at the East Community Center.

The park's goal is to help younger people get a refresher on the rules of the road, but there's no age limit on learning these life skills.

Emily Kleinfelter, a transportation planner with the City of Littleton, said the idea for the park came in response to the loss of a local boy.

"It was two years ago we lost the life of Liam Stewart while riding his bike to school. And that really invigorated us here at the city," explained Kleinfelter.

The park includes bike lanes, miniature roads and real traffic signs, giving riders practice before heading out into the community. City officials hope it will make the streets safer for everyone, whether they walk, bike or roll, at any age.

Community member Julie Newsom said the last time she rode a bike was on a "Stingray with a banana seat and monkey handlebars in the 1970s". When she heard about the "learn to ride" classes on social media, she thought it sounded like a great idea.

"Safety is really important for any age," said Newsom. "You don't want a concussion or any broken bones. You wanna go out and have fun safely."

"Biking is an amazing tool of transportation and recreation. It can benefit people of all ages and abilities; it gives children their first sense of independence and freedom. It also gives adults a chance to get around the neighborhood in a new way," said Benedict Wright, the Education Manager for Bicycle Colorado.

Whether it's someone's first time on a bike or they're looking to brush up on their cycling skills, as long as safety is top of mind, this practice park is available to the community.