Why the Captain of Eagle Rock Fire Station 42 Opposes Bike Lanes—in His Personal Capacity

One of the questions swirling around the controversy over the Department of Transportation’s plan to install two bike lanes along Colorado Boulevard by taking away an equal number of auto traffic lanes is whether or not local Fire stations are opposed to the idea because of its potential impact on the ability of fire trucks to respond to emergencies.

On May 2, for example, Eagle Rock native Tom Topping told the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council that there is a groundswell of public opinion against bike lanes and that it includes opposition from the fire department.

Just how the terms “bike lanes” and “fire department” came to be associated in the same debate isn’t quite clear, but one possibility about its genesis may lie in a petition signed by a number of Eagle Rock residents who are opposed to bike lanes.

Among the signatories is Ron Sanfilippo, who, besides being an Eagle Rock resident, also happens to be the captain of Fire Station 42 on Colorado Boulevard.

Sanfilippo tells Eagle Rock Patch that he signed the petition “as a civilian in Eagle Rock—not as the captain of Fire Station 42.”

Indeed, a copy of the petition procured by Eagle Rock Patch does not have Sanfilippo’s rank or Fire Station 42 as his address. (The petition shows his home address and home phone number instead—and Patch has decided not to publish an image of the petition to protect Sanfilippo’s privacy.)

Further, says Sanfilippo, he believes that creating bike lanes will worsen an already bad traffic situation on Colorado.

“Even at 8 o’clock in the morning, with six lanes, it’s pretty congested,” he said. “In my opinion, four lanes would congest the traffic even more.”

Sanfilippo emphasized that he’s not worried about the Fire department’s ability to respond to emergencies. “Whether it’s six lanes, four lanes, two lanes or one lane, we’re going to respond,” he said, adding: “We’re going to get through.”

Related:

• Why the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce Opposes Bike Lanes

• Businesses on Colorado Address Letters to Government Officials in Support of Bike Lanes