2021 Traffic Code

Colorado Springs Traffic Code Update

The City of Colorado Springs revised Chapter 10 of our city’s code, taking additional steps to further define bicycles, E-Bikes and other E-Mobility Vehicles as well as on-street infrastructure developed for these uses. These update better address mobility devices, and more clearly define allowed and illegal behaviors in bike lanes.

This revision passed in early February Amended Chapter 10 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, as Amended, Pertaining to Motor Vehicles and Providing Penalties for the Violation the updated code.

Chapter 10 of the Colorado Springs city code pertains to Motor Vehicles and Traffic Code

These changes integrate new mobility devices into the Colorado Springs traffic code and while supportive of the proposed shared mobility (Electric Scooter Share) programs, this is it’s own stand alone ordinance. Bike COS will cover the Scooter Share RFP in a upcoming post.


These code changes allow our city code to realign to statues already adopted at the state level (Senate Bill 20-061: The Bike Lane Bill and Colorado revised statutes 42 4 225 – Bicycle, electric scooter, and personal mobility device equipment)

Click through to watch a recording of the city presenting these code revisions at a February City Council Work Session.

What does this revision actually do?

Improves definition of bike lanes and Bicycle infrastructure
This revision provides a specific ordinance clearly defining who can use a bike lane, and what type of vehicles cannot use a bike lane as a travel lane. 

Additionally this ordinance makes it clearer that parking a car or other vehicle in a bike lane is illegal.

Allows E-Bikes and E-mobility devices to use Bicycle Infrastructure
Allows Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 E-Bikes to use on-street bicycle infrastructure
Allows low powered Electric scooters, with or without handlebars (20mph max) to use on-street bicycle infrastructure

Clarifies dismount zones
Instead of ordinances specifying specific dismount zones boundaries (areas where bicycles and scooters aren’t allowed on sidewalks), these zones can now be defined with signage alone.

New Definitions
This revision includes new definitions related to
Bike infrastructure, Electrical assisted bicycles, Electric personal assistive mobility devices (EPAMD) and more. Scroll down for full definitions.

Creates consistent “rules of the road”
This revision defines and updates rules for the  operation of bicycles, electrical assisted bicycles,  electric scooters and EPAMDs. The below documents were used as a basis for this code revision.

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

CDOT Roadway Design Guide

CDOT Bicycling Manual

If you want to get nerdy feel free to dig into the full Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices the National Department of Transportation’s design manual. This is the tool that most local traffic engineering departments primarily use to design roadway infrastructure. 

MUTCD – Traffic Control for Bicycle Facilities

If you want to keep it a bit more local but still get nerdy about road way design, check out the CDOT Roadway Design Guide this is similar to MUTCD but focused on Colorado roadways.

Chapter 14 – Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

We couldn’t put it any better ourselves “Every person’s transportation choice counts! We all need to be conscious of and courteous to other individuals when sharing our roadways. Remember, streets and trails are for everyone and sharing is more than good manners!”

We have print versions of these CDOT Cycling manuals available in English – Download
Tenemos versiones impresas de estos manuales de ciclismo del CDOT disponibles en español – descargar

Revised Chapter 10 Excepts

10.2.104: BICYCLE LANES:
The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to bicycles, and/or electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or EPAMDs and other authorized users of bicycle lanes and, in a bicycle lane and/or protected bicycle lane.

10.12.101: STOPPING, STANDING OR PARKING IN SPECIFIED PLACES: 

Except as otherwise provided in the EXCEPTIONS below, no person shall stop, stand or  park a vehicle except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, vehicular or  pedestrian, or in compliance with directions of a police officer or traffic control device,  in any of the following places:

A. * * *
R. Within a bus stop or taxicab stand.;
S. Within a bicycle lane. 

EXCEPTIONS:

A. Subsection (1)(A) of this section does not prohibit a person from parking a bicycle,  electrical assisted bicycle, or electric scooter on a sidewalk in accordance with the  provisions of Colorado Revised Statutes section 42-4-1412(11)(a) and (11)(b).

B. Subsection (1)(M) of this section does not prohibit persons from parking two or  more bicycles, electrical assisted bicycles, or electric scooters abreast in accordance  with the provisions of Colorado Revised Statutes section 42-4-1412(11)(d).

C. Subsections 1(B), 1(F), and 1(G) of this section do not apply to a bicycle, electrical  assisted bicycle, or electric scooter parked on a sidewalk in accordance with Colorado  Revised Statutes 42-4-1412(11)(a) and 11(b).

BICYCLE: A vehicle propelled by human power applied to pedals upon which a person  may ride having two tandem wheels or two parallel wheels and one forward wheel, all of  which are more than fourteen inches in diameter. 

ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: A vehicle having two or three wheels, fully operable  pedals, and an electric motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power.  Electrical assisted bicycles are further required to conform to one of three classes as  follows: 

  1. CLASS 1 ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: An electrical assisted bicycle equipped  with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to  provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour. 
  2. CLASS 2 ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: An electrical assisted bicycle equipped  with a motor that provides assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling but  ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour. 
  3. CLASS 3 ELECTRICAL ASSISTED BICYCLE: An electrical assisted bicycle equipped  with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to  provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty-eight miles per hour. 

ELECTRIC PERSONAL ASSISTIVE MOBILITY DEVICE or EPAMD: A self-balancing, nontandem  two-wheeled device, designed to transport only one person that is powered solely by an  electric propulsion system producing an average power output of no more than seven  hundred fifty watts. 

ELECTRIC SCOOTER: A device: 

  1. Weighing less than one hundred pounds; 
  2. With or without handlebars;  
  3. That is powered by an electric motor; and 
  4. That has a maximum speed of twenty miles per hour on a paved level surface  when powered solely by the electric motor. 

“Electric scooter” does not include an electrical assisted bicycle, EPAMD, motorcycle, or  low-power scooter. 

PROTECTED BIKE LANE: Also known as Separated Bike Lane or Cycle Track, these lanes  are separated from motorized traffic in various ways including special striping, bollards,  parked cars and other devices for the purposes of creating a safer environment for  bicycles, and/or electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power  scooters, and/or EPAMDs operators.

BICYCLE BOULEVARD: A low speed street that has been optimized for bicycles, and/or  electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or  EPAMDs travel, allows local motor vehicle travel, but gives priority to bicycles, and/or  electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or  EPAMDs at intersections. 

BIKE BOX: Designated locations at the edge of intersections where the operator of  bicycles, and/or electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power  scooters, and/or EPAMDs can safely wait for the duration of the traffic signal. 

BICYCLE LANE: Portion of roadway or shoulder designated for preferential or exclusive  use by bicycles, and/or electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low power scooters, and/or EPAMDs and other authorized users of bicycle lanes. It is  distinguished from the portion of the roadway for motor vehicle traffic by a paint stripe,  and marking, curb or other devices. 

BIKE ROUTE: A system of bikeways designating preferred routes for bicycles, and/or  electrical assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or  EPAMDs use by signing with appropriate direction and informational route makers. 

BIKE SIGNALS: A traffic control device that is exclusively for bicycles, and/or electrical  assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or EPAMDs,  represented with a bicycle symbol and a red, yellow, and green color indication.

BIKEWAY: A generic term for any road, street, path, or way which, in some manner, is  designated as being available for bicycles, and/or electrical assisted bicycles, and/or  electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or EPAMDs travel, regardless of  whether such facilities are designated for the exclusive use of bicycles, and/or electrical  assisted bicycles, and/or electric scooters, and/or low-power scooters, and/or EPAMDs  or are to be shared with other transportation modes.

Colorado Springs EBike Reference information

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