UPDATE: Ada County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposed ordinance.
Locals bike the Greenbelt all the time but with the increasing volume of cyclists, Ada County is proposing a new universal set of rules for the path.
- Many folks are worried about the high speeds and reckless riding of many cyclists on the Greenbelt.
- Ada County Commissioners held a hearing at Ada County Courthouse to allow folks to discuss their concerns and possible solutions.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Locals bike the Greenbelt all the time but with the increasing volume of cyclists, Ada County is proposing a new universal set of rules for the path. I'm your Eagle neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston and I spoke with folks about this idea.
"People who ride the Greenbelt need to remember it is for the beauty. Not the speed," said cyclist Doreen Martin.
As we already know, Idaho has seen a lot of population growth and that means more people enjoying our Greenbelt.
Bill Buchanan, a local, said, "I walk it every morning."
Buchanan says he sees a population boom, especially among speeding cyclists.
"Most people are very considerate. They make a sound and let you know they are coming up behind you," continued Buchanan.
But Buchanan says that not everyone is as kind, saying some riders weave in and out of pedestrians like pylons.
Another pathgoer, Austin Minor explained, "Being a bike rider myself, people just come zipping by you. They might have a bell some ties, or say “passing on your left”. Just a caution. There is no reason to be flying like that. It's not a highway."
"As you know a lot of people don’t follow the rules and the rest of us suffer for it," exclaimed Martin.
I caught Martin as she was leaving with her husband after a nice ride on the path. She told me about her first-hand experience with cyclists who ride recklessly.
Recalling the incident, Martin said, "Last year I was going around a curve. Someone else came around the curve and came into my lane. I went off and fell. I got a compound fracture in my ankle and had to have surgery and now I have a plate in there now."
Buchanan added, "Younger people can handle it, but as some of us get older we aren't as spry as we used to be."
But even if you can get out of the way, what about your child or pet?
Minor added, "I used to walk my dog on the greenbelt. If a bike is flying up, even if they ding, they still spook the dog."
Because of these types of safety concerns, Ada County Commissioners are holding a hearing allowing folks to come in and give feedback on ways the Greenbelt can be managed in a general universal set of rules throughout its stretch.
Doors for the hearing are open as of 6 pm at the Ada County Courthouse, and we'll update you on how it turns out.
