7 Apr 2021
Petition for electric mountain bike pilot study, Boulder County
An online petition seeks to push Boulder County officials to conduct a pilot study of class 1 electric mountain bike usage on foothills/mountain trails.
Jeff Hainline created the petition, he said.
Anyone can sign the petition, not just Boulder County residents, said Hainline.
Sign the petition at the link below
https://www.change.org/Boulder-Class1-eMTB-Study
Currently, e-bikes are allowed on some natural surface trails in Jefferson County and on regional connector trails and bike paths in Boulder County, Colorado. They’re also allowed at McDowell Regional Mountain Park in Maricopa County, Arizona.
For JeffCo and Boulder County, their policy changes followed one-year e-bike trial periods when user-intercept surveys were conducted.
Subsequently, their experiences provide valuable insight for city of Durango officials that are learning how to regulate e-bikes on local trails.
It should be noted that e-bikers are now legally accessing some trails in Colorado thanks to a law that passed in 2017. Specifically, the governor signed House Bill 17-1151, entitled Electrical Assisted Bicycles Regulation Operation.
What the bill does is exclude e-bikes from the definition of “motor vehicle.” Secondly, it also defines three classes of electric assisted bicycles. Thirdly, it grants permission for class 1 and class 2 e-bikes to be ridden on bike or pedestrian paths where bikes are authorized to travel. At the same time, the bill allows local municipalities to prohibit class 1 and class 2 e-bikes on trails in their jurisdiction.
In response to the law, Jefferson County and Boulder County were the first to allow e-bikes on some of their natural surface trails.
Adam Howell is a writer who is on the city of Durango’s Natural Lands Preservation Advisory Board. His reporting and commentary does not reflect or represent the views of the Board or the municipal government. He can be reached by clicking on this link to the contact page.
