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Bow Mar trustees hear resident warnings about gating plans as traffic study work continues
Summary
Trustees heard resident objections to gating options after a Matrix traffic study and were told contractor recommendations and boundary mapping from Wizard Works are pending; Board expects a vote on gates, budget, and contract at the next meeting.
Trustees of the Town of Bow Mar heard residents urge caution about proposed entrance gates and received an update on a traffic study and next steps.
During public comment, resident Shane Fable said apartment construction nearby is progressing quickly and asked the Board to begin gate discussions. Sarah Chapman said she is awaiting updated information from Matrix Design Group and potential gate installations. Michelle Guthrie submitted a written statement read aloud by Mayor Bryan Sperry warning that gating both Sheridan and Prospect is impractical and that gating Prospect alone would likely push cut-through traffic onto the Berry entrance, the route “kids use to walk and bike to school, and the main path to the beach and BMS for swim team in the summer.” Guthrie’s statement cited an initial traffic survey that reported roughly 1,600 cars use the Berry entrance daily and said more than half of that traffic was cut-through driving.
Trustee Jim Chrisman, who has been shepherding the study, told the Board significant work was completed over the holidays and that the team is finalizing jurisdictional boundary mapping. He said two alternative gate solutions have been developed and that preliminary discussions with the Cities of Littleton and Denver were positive. Chrisman said he expects to receive contractor recommendations from Wizard Works and plans to present those recommendations at the next meeting along with a request for a vote on gate location, gate type, budget authorization, and execution of a contract. He said, after contract approval, the Board intends to develop an operations policy.
Mayor Sperry stressed that the Board needs Wizard Works’ recommendations and finalized boundary mapping before moving forward with any gating decisions, indicating further study and intergovernmental coordination will be required before the Board can act.
The minutes do not include a formal motion or vote on gating at this meeting. The Board did not make a final decision on gates; members and residents focused on preventing a traffic shift onto Berry, which residents described as a safety concern because it is a common walking and biking route for children.
What’s next: Trustee Chrisman expects to present contractor recommendations and a proposed motion at the Board’s next meeting (moved to Feb. 9, 2026). The minutes record preliminary outreach to neighboring cities and a planned vote on gate-related contract, location, and budget at that meeting.
