This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, June 24, bicycling on Lee Hill Drive will not be allowed between the intersection with Olde Stage Road and Deer Trail Road. This restriction will be enforced from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until paving operations have been completed, which is anticipated for mid-July.
Cycling will be allowed on Thursday and Friday, July 4 and 5, as no work will take place in observation of Independence Day.
Anyone violating the restriction could be subject to citation by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
The restriction is being enacted due to safety concerns stemming the current repaving effort on Lee Hill Drive. Asphalt has been removed from most of the road between Olde Stage and Deer Trail roads, leaving behind either a gravel or milled asphalt surface (see photos). This has created less than favorable driving and cycling conditions. In addition, with the road’s narrow roadway configuration, it has become increasingly difficult to safely share the road between cars, trucks, and cyclists. Trucks hauling materials take up nearly the entire lane, which leaves little room for cars, let alone cars and cyclists.
Boulder County Transportation thanks everyone for abiding by the restrictions. We understand how important and popular Lee Hill is for cycling and we will do our best to lift the restrictions as soon as possible. During restricted hours, cyclists will be able to ride Lee Hill Drive in order to access Olde Stage Road. In addition, the back of Lee Hill Road will be open between Lefthand Canyon Drive and Deer Trail Road.
Courtesy is Contagious
Boulder County is asking for patience and understanding while the restriction is in place. Mountain roads currently under repair are seeing a heavy volume of large trucks and machinery, which makes travel difficult for all modes. The lengths and widths of the trucks used to haul materials can result in vehicles tracking into the opposite lane in areas with tight curves and where the road has been narrowed due to a construction activity. In addition, fully-loaded trucks traveling downhill take longer to stop and Boulder County would like to avoid any crash that could cause any bodily injury to cyclists or motorists.
Sunshine, Lefthand, and other canyon roads that are open to all modes are likely to see a large increase in cycling activity during the work in other canyons. The county is urging all drivers and cyclists to please be aware of their surroundings and other roadway users at all times. State law requires motorists to provide three-feet of space when passing cyclists and permits motorists to cross the double yellow line to do so. If at a particular location it is not possible to give cyclists three feet of space to pass, motorists are required to wait to pass until they can safely do so. Cyclists have a right to the road, but may only ride two abreast if it does not impede the flow of traffic. Boulder County recommends that all cyclists ride single-file in curves on mountain roads where it is not possible to ride two abreast in the shoulder.
While Boulder County Transportation strives to complete all projects on-time, work is weather dependent and there may be delays due to rain.
For more information on this project, contact Andrew Barth, Transportation Department communications specialist, at [email protected] or call 303-441-1032.
All current Boulder County Transportation roadway project information, including regular maintenance and flood-recovery activity, can be found at www.BoCoConeZones.com.
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