Officials from the Kane County Forest Preserve District want to encourage cyclists to use the over 200 miles of trails in the district, but to slow things down a bit if using an electric bike.
That’s the message staff wants to get out after announcing at a meeting last month that a pilot program will be rolled out this year in hopes of slowing down some e-bike riders on the trail system.
The program will consist of using digital speed signs along the trails, similar to those used for monitoring cars on roads around the area.
The initiative is said to be focusing on Class E-3 bikes which can reach speeds of nearly 30 mph. Currently, Class E-2 and E-1 bikes are the only classes of bikes that are allowed on Kane County-maintained trails.
Kane County Forest Preserve District Director of Community Affairs Laurie Metanchuk late last month stressed that there isn’t a big crackdown on bikers planned nor has there been a change in policy.
“The facts are that we have always limited speeds on our trails to 15 mph and that hasn’t changed,” Metanchuk said. “We allow Class 1 and 2 e-bikes on the trails but not Class 3 because they are too fast.”
The genesis of the pilot program came after a number of elected officials urged that some reminders be made “to make sure people are following the speed limits.”
“We’ve been getting pushed by some officials to make sure people are following the speed rule on the trails,” Metanchuk said. “What we are going to do is put two electronic signs out along the trails and just encourage people to follow the speed limit. It’s not like we have some large initiative and plan to go out and arrest people for going too fast – that’s not at all what this is.”
Metanchuk added that “people have to remember that these trails are multi-purpose” and don’t just belong to bikers.
“There are walkers, people with strollers, joggers and also equestrians as well as cyclists, and so with all those uses we’ve always been very clear that our speed limit is 15 mph,” she said. “Share the trail and be polite. We want to put out the (speed) boards just as a reminder.”
Metanchuk said there are no speed issues concerning regular bicycles.
“This is about people with e-bikes that are going above the posted speed limit,” she said.
Metanchuk said the district is still in the process of obtaining the signs.
“The digital speed signs have been budgeted, but they won’t be purchased until our new fiscal year takes effect July 1. Our goal is to have signs that are moveable and that show people how fast they’re riding,” she said late last month. “If the signs provide additional data, our police would use that to determine when to move signs and whether areas may require additional enforcement. But, again, we want people to continue to enjoy riding along the trail systems, but do so at safe speeds for everyone.”
Mike Farrell, founder and co-owner of Prairie Path Cycles in Batavia, said as an avid cyclist himself, “I see people speeding all the time on the paths and absolutely support what the Forest Preserve is hoping to do.”
“Frankly, I’d wish they would come up with some printed literature or a pamphlet and we’d post it right in the store,” he said. “In terms of our sales – the Class 3 bikes, if I sell 100 e-bikes, maybe five of them are Class 3. We always explain that to customers and say this bike is technically not legal on just about any bike path in the area. The problem is no one is monitoring it, and it sounds like that’s about to change. It needs to happen for sure.”
Farrell also warned about collisions with e-bikes noting that “you’re looking at a bike that can weigh 55 to 75 pounds versus a road bike that might be 18 pounds.”
“If somebody gets run into with one of those e-bikes, they’re going to feel it,” he said.
Bruce Heidlauf, who owns Mill Race Cyclery in Geneva, said when it comes to speed limits on trails, he thinks “20 mph is more realistic given that Class 2 bikes can top out at that.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
