Want more and better options for bicycling? Want the communities where you live and work to have safer roads? Join us at the state capitol on Tuesday, February 26 to lobby for better bicycling. Safe Streets Day at the Capitol is the perfect time to show up and speak up about what is important to you. Do it for yourself, your kids, your riding buddies and individuals who can’t be there. The event is brief—from 8 to 10 a.m—and free registration includes breakfast.

Your personal stories make a significant difference, bolster our advocacy efforts and help amplify our collective voice as bicycle riders in Colorado. Your legislators want to hear from YOU.

What to expect

Safe Streets Day makes it easy for you to be part of democracy in action. We’ll do everything we can to make you to feel empowered to lend your personal voice to bicycling issues facing your community and our state. Elected officials generally take seriously the concerns expressed in person by those they directly represent. When meeting with your legislators, be sure to share that you live and/or work in their district and that you vote!

We’ll host a light breakfast, encouraging legislators and their aides to come by, grab a bite and briefly meet with any of their constituents attending. There is no schedule and no appointments; think of it as a “meet and greet” with your policymakers.

You may only get a few minutes with your legislators. We’ll provide talking points to everyone who registers and be there to guide you should you have questions. The topics might change right up until February 26 because activity in the legislature can move fast with priorities changing rapidly. But the most important piece to share is your own personal passion for better bicycling, walking and safer streets! 

Our goal is to meet with as many state legislators and their aides as we can to express the importance of bicycling and improving access and safety. Schedules shift quickly at the capitol, so we often try to pull legislators out of session to meet with our attendees.

Even if you don’t get to meet with him or her directly, rest assured that your presence as part of the bicycling movement still makes a big difference—strength in numbers is important! Also, legislative aides often help drive policy by acting as experts on various topics, so speaking with and educating them is often just as valuable.

What’s at stake

This legislative session is an important one for bicycling and safer streets throughout Colorado. As with all political movements, the stronger our collective voice, the better. 

Currently, our efforts are focused on SB 012 and HB 1099.

SB 012 is sponsored in the senate by Lois Court, aims to reduce distracted driving caused by motorists’ use of cell phones and other mobile electronic devices while driving. We support this important legislation. 

Everyday, and throughout Colorado, distracted driving jeopardizes roadway safety for all users. According to AAA, people who use mobile devices while driving are two to eight times more likely to be involved in a crash than if they were not using a mobile device. On-road bicyclists and pedestrians are especially vulnerable, and your legislators will value hearing your voice in support of SB 012. They need to hear from you to realize how critical this issue is to Coloradans’ health and safety and the importance of this bill to protecting it.

HB 1099 is a bill to ban automated enforcement like speed cameras and red light cameras throughout Colorado. We are against this dangerous legislation. 

When properly initiated, automated photo radar systems and red light cameras are effective traffic-calming measures and can save lives. Studies show that the severity of a crash is directly correlated to speed, and this is even more true for vulnerable road users such as bicyclists and pedestrians–the faster an automobile is traveling, the more severe the crash. This can be deadly for those who bike and walk.

We’ll be happy to provide more information on Safe Streets Day at the Capitol to better assist you in talking about the issue with your elected officials.

Ultimately, Safe Streets Day at the Capitol is a unique, educational and powerful experience. Take your passion for bicycling to the next level, see how easy it is to be an advocate and meet like-minded people in the process. We hope to see you there.