How to Speak Up for Safer Streets: A Guide to Providing Feedback
Building a bike-friendly Colorado Springs isn’t just about engineering; it’s about community support. City staff and elected officials need to hear from the people who use, or want to use, our bike infrastructure; we need you to voice your support.
Your voice is a vital counterweight to the status quo, whether you are praising a new protected lane or advocating for a connection in your neighborhood. While city staff needs to hear need your “on-the-ground” expertise to improve how those projects function in the real world they vitally need to hear that you support the investment in bike infrastructure.
How to Voice Your Support
Here is how you can effectively provide feedback to the City of Colorado Springs:
1. Write an Email or Letter
Personal stories are powerful. When writing to the City, you don’t need to be an engineering expert—you just need to share your experience as a resident. Please CC us at info@bikecoloradosprings.org so we can track what’s important to the community and back you up.
- Be Positive (The “Yes”): Staff often only hear complaints. Sending a “thank you” for a new project reinforces that there is a demand for safer infrastructure.
- Provide Expertise (The “How to Improve”): Use your experience to suggest specific tweaks. Is a sensor failing to detect your bike? Is a “no turn on red” sign needed to protect the lane?
- Be Specific: Mention exactly which street or intersection you are talking about.
- The “Why”: Explain how the infrastructure affects your life (e.g., “I now feel safe biking to the grocery store with my kids” or “I would bike to work if there were a safe crossing at Academy.”)
Key Contacts:
- Mayor Yemi Mobolade: yemi.mobolade@coloradosprings.gov
- All City Council: allCouncil@coloradosprings.gov
- Traffic Engineering: TrafficEng@coloradosprings.gov
- Find Your Representative: City Council District Map
- Parks Department: Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services – Preferred GoCOS form
2. Speak at Public Meetings
Public comment is one of the most direct ways to ensure your voice—and your suggestions for improvement—are on the official record.
- City Council Meetings: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. (Work sessions are usually the Monday prior).
- Agenda & Streaming: View the calendar for past and future agendas and the link to where the meeting is streamed.
- How: There is a “Citizen Discussion” period for items not on the agenda. You typically have three minutes to speak.
- Location: City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave.
3. Submit a “Letter to the Editor”
While emails to Council influence policy, letters to the editor influence public opinion. If you see an article about bike lanes, write a response to keep the conversation balanced.
| Publication | Email / Link |
| The Gazette | opinion@gazette.com |
| Pikes Peak Bulletin | editor@pikespeakbulletin.org |
| KRCC / CPR | news@krcc.org |
| The Colorado Sun | opinion@coloradosun.com |
4. Use the “GoCOS” App
For maintenance issues—like glass in a bike lane, faded striping, or a pothole—the most effective tool is the GoCOS app (available on iPhone and Android). These reports create a digital paper trail that staff are required to track and resolve. This is the fastest way to give the City feedback on the “real world” condition of our lanes.
5. Just Get Outside
The most visible form of advocacy is simply riding your bike. The “Safety in Numbers” effect is real—the more people we have using our infrastructure, the safer it becomes for everyone. When you use bike infrastructure, you are voting with your pedals, leading by example, and showing the city that their investment is being used.
