Bikes Banned in Black Hawk, Colo.

Despite 11 Bicycle Friendly Communities, including Platinum level Boulder, not all Colorado towns are striving to become bike-friendly. Our member organization Bicycle Colorado alerted us to a bicycle ban in the town of Black Hawk:

Black Hawk’s Board of Aldermen is making it clear that they don’t want bicyclists or bicycle events in town. The Board approved an ordinance banning bicycle riding on almost every street in Black Hawk. This includes the only paved street (Gregory Street-formerly State Highway 279) connecting the Peak to Peak Highway with the Central City Parkway.

Black Hawk police are now issuing a ticket to anyone “caught riding” through town.

This isn’t the first time a bicycling ban has come up in Colorado. We’ll be working with our friends at Bicycle Colorado to challenge this one too, but we need your help! Visit Bicycle Colorado’s to stay abreast of the situation. Colorado residents, cross-state tourists and concerned cyclists can contact Black Hawk leaders at [email protected] or the town council at 303-582-2212. Ask Mayor David D. Spellman and Aldermen Linda Armbright, Paul G. Bennett, Diane Cales, Kathleen Doles, Tom Kerr and  Greg Moates to please restore bicycle access to Gregory Street and all Black Hawk streets. Let them know this ban is closing a major cross-state route to bicyclists preventing residents and tourists from biking.