Vail Town Council votes to implement bicycle dismount zones

The Town of Vail on Thursday issued the following press release on the Vail Town Council voting to implement bicycle dismount zones:

The Vail Town Council has voted to implement a dismount zone in designated areas of Vail Village to improve interactions between pedestrians and cyclists. The dismount zone is effective immediately. 

The summer of 2021 has seen an increase in visitation to Vail, resulting in high volumes of pedestrians, bikes and other new modes of wheeled travel in the busy Village cores. The congestion, coupled with variations in speed, age and user-ability has led to safety concerns for those visiting and working in the village center.

Signs have been placed throughout the new dismount zone, reminding people to “Walk Your Wheels.”  The zone includes all of Bridge Street from the Covered Bridge to Seibert Circle and on Gore Creek Drive from Checkpoint Charlie to the edge of the pedestrian zone east of Gorsuch Ltd. The dismount zone will remain in place through the fall. Additional safety measures including trail etiquette messages and a bicycle/pedestrian safety program will be evaluated over the winter for implementation next summer. 

Those looking to bike around the dismount zone are encouraged to use Vail Valley Drive or Vail Road. The official route of the paved Gore Valley Trail bypasses Vail Village to the south through Mountain Plaza near Gondola One and Pirateship Park. A dismount zone is already in place in parts of Lionshead Village.

For areas outside the dismount zones, bikers and users of other wheeled vehicles are reminded that pedestrians always have the right of way and to use moderate speeds in pedestrian areas, 5 mph or less.  When passing a slower party, politely alert the other party by calling out and/or ringing a bicycle bell and passing on the left.