Bow Mar's gate fight draws national attention

What they're saying: "The fight echoes conflicts across the fast-growing Western United States about whether to welcome newcomers or beat them back like invasive weeds," the Times writes.

Flashback: Bow Mar started considering gates last year to curb cut-through traffic, citing speeding drivers and crashes in the town of roughly 900 residents.

• Denver and Littleton argue that taxpayer-funded roads should remain open, warning that closures could worsen congestion and create safety hazards nearby.

Reality check: The Times' story covers little new ground.

Yes, but: It includes figures from a Bow Mar-commissioned traffic study:

• About 2,000 vehicles entered the town daily last year, up 25% from 2017.
• Police issued 1,260 traffic violations from early 2023 through this summer — roughly half for speeding.

Case in point: An SUV drove into Bow Mar's private lake last week. The driver wasn't a resident, a town spokesperson says.

What we're watching: Trustees voted this week to advance engineering work on the Sheridan Boulevard gate.

• It could be installed by Thanksgiving and operational in mid-January.