Bow Mar, Colorado, unanimously approved a plan Monday to install gates at two of the town’s entrances and close a third, igniting a fierce backlash from neighboring Denver and Littleton officials who warn the move could trigger retaliatory measures.
The town of roughly 950 residents, located 12 miles southeast of downtown Denver, acted after a traffic study revealed approximately 1,200 vehicles were cutting through daily. Properties in Bow Mar average $1.4 million, and residents have long complained that commuters treating their streets as an alternative route between Denver and Littleton endanger children and seniors.
Shane Fable, a Bow Mar resident whose 12-year-old son was nearly struck by a truck while changing a bike tire, said that the situation has become unbearable. The truck smashed into a mailbox, and the driver was arrested on charges including reckless driving, vehicular assault, and driving while intoxicated.
“I never wanted to live in a gated community,” Fable said. “It’s out of control.”
Police in the small town have issued more than 1,260 traffic tickets since the start of 2023, with roughly half for speeding violations. Previous efforts to slow traffic, including a 20 mph speed limit, failed to deter through-drivers.
The first gate could be installed by Thanksgiving but would not become operational until January. Bow Mar officials have not specified how the gates will be operated. Town leaders maintain the strategy addresses legitimate safety concerns and is not intended to seal off the community.
Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn has emerged as one of the plan’s most vocal critics, warning that his city could respond with measures he has termed a “nuclear option.”
“I think what they’re proposing is exacerbating our safety concerns by cutting off access to a public right of way to our residents,” Flynn said.
“That’s not acceptable for us, for Bow Mar to be creating a significant traffic hazard for us in the course of resolving theirs.”
Littleton Mayor Kyle Schlachter and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston signed a joint letter urging Bow Mar to halt the gate plan.
“Bow Mar undoubtedly expects its residents to have reasonable access to Denver and Littleton roads and rights-of-way,” the letter states.
“Denver and Littleton expect the same in turn.”
Schlachter expressed personal frustration with the town’s approach.
“It’s hurtful when your neighbor says, ‘You’re not welcome in our community,'” Schlachter said.
The dispute centers on a fundamental disagreement over traffic management: Bow Mar officials view gates as necessary for resident safety, while Denver and Littleton leaders argue restricting access will simply displace congestion and create new hazards on their streets. The “nuclear option” Flynn referenced suggests Denver could potentially install its own barriers, escalating the conflict into a broader restriction of regional movement.
Bow Mar’s decision comes after months of deliberation, with the gate proposal first floated over the summer. The unanimous council vote Monday formalized what had been a simmering local debate into a regional flashpoint.
The town’s position at the intersection of two larger cities has made it a persistent target for commuters seeking to avoid congestion. That geographic reality has now transformed a local traffic complaint into an intergovernmental dispute with no clear resolution in sight.