Boulder, CO USA -

If in Colorado, please attend this meeting from 4-6pm at the Boulder Public library on weds August 7th. Info:

Public Meeting: Potential electric-assisted bike pilot on multi-use paths

As part of the current update to Boulder’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP) , city staff is developing a proposal for City Council consideration of a one-year demonstration project to test the use of electric-assisted bicycles (e-bikes) on off-street multi-use paths (this will not include open space trails). E-bikes are currently allowed only in on-street bike lanes.

You are invited to attend a public meeting to learn more about the proposed demonstration project and provide feedback on elements to consider in testing the use of e-bikes on off-street paths.

Date: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013

Time: 4 to 6 p.m.

Place: Boulder Creek Meeting Room
Boulder Public Library , 1001 Arapahoe Avenue

Come learn more about e-bikes and the proposed demonstration project.

Questions to be discussed at the meeting include:

q What types of e-bikes should be allowed and where?

q How should the city engage and educate the community during the demonstration?

q How should the demonstration project be evaluated?

Next Steps

Comments from the public meeting and other outreach events will be used to inform an ordinance to take forward to City Council on Oct. 1, 2013. An ordinance change is needed to allow e-bikes to be tested on multi-use paths during the demonstration project. If approved by Council, the demonstration project would be launched in November. Based on community feedback and results from the e-bikes demonstration project, staff and City Council will evaluate whether or not to continue allowing use of e-bikes on multi-use paths.

Hmm, this seems like an extremely short notice for such an event.

It's rather disappointing to read this thread. I can imagine several rationalities around the purpose around this thread's concept.

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=52317 This thread might be good to read that will yield some perspective.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this idea a lot recently. Personally, I think it's wise to slow down when passing people, and ring a bell before doing so. The primary reason or issue is a lack of education, most people on foot do not stick to a logical course of action when walking on a path. This thread sounds like it could be about a bunch of J walkers demanding all cars be banned from the road because some of them get scared when cars nearly run them over. A lot of walkers and joggers, people with pets and children do a lot of silly things while walking on paths. I am guessing most cyclists understand this, I doubt most people on foot who don't ride realize this.

I am sure there are a number of people who ride bicycles like idiots, but they will be idiots regardless of what kind of bike they are on. Here is the crushing part, ebikes are silent, they are far from easy to pick out plenty of the time, all you'll basically do is try to turn people into criminals while riding on a path instead of the road.

An interesting contrast. Lets say I take a path that allows me to avoid a highway underpass fraught with danger, my ebike is banned from use here, so instead of me potentially colliding with a person on foot and both of us get mildly injured, I get flattened by a car trying to come off or get on the highway where I get killed.

Prohibition is not the answer. If absolutely necessary, signage with education on how to use a multi-use path, lines and maybe a slightly wider path may be the answer. I am afraid of being ran over by cars, I don't think we need to ban vehicles of a weight over 3000 pounds. You might counter with, well they have their own path, no, we all share every path with very few exceptions, cars, trucks and larger do not go where things like bicycles and people on foot would go, but people on foot and bicycle will go where people on cars will go. In fact, I've ridden my bicycle and walked on countless roads where there wasn't a sidewalk or separate path at all, should we ban cars from roads for not slowing to a crawl while coming within a foot of my body?

One of the most conflicting issues concerning ebikes is, basically everywhere in the US, the legal speed limit on a flat road with pedaling and motor combined is 20mph. 20mph is so so slow, especially for an ebike. I can absolutely pedal 20mph on a bicycle on a flat. If the expectation is that people on ebikes are to spend more time on roads and less on multi-use paths scaring the young and the gray as they carelessly fumble across a path, then demanding 20mph for ebike speed is pretty rediculous. A speed limit of 30mph so you can keep up with traffic (AT LEAST TRY) would be far more comfortable for roads.

Thanks for the heads up IB. I'm planning on it. Say is that other EV thing happening this weekend as well?

edit just checked the BBQ thing is the 17th.

You are invited to attend a public meeting to learn more about the proposed [1-year trial] demonstration project, test ride an e-bike, and provide feedback on elements to consider in testing the use of e-bikes on off-street paths.
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013

Schedule: 
4 to 5 p.m.    Test ride an e-bike and talk with e-bike users to learn more about the technology

5 to 7 p.m.    Public meeting

Place: Houston Room, Boulder County Clerk and Recorder building, 1740 33rd Street, Boulder

This meeting is a follow up to an initial e-bikes public meeting held in early August.  That meeting introduced the potential pilot project to the community and initiated discussions about e-bike use on multi-use paths.  At this meeting, transportation staff will present options under consideration for amending the definition of an e-bike and for testing e-bike use on multi-use paths.

If you are unable to attend the public meeting, participate in the online community conversation at http://www.inspireboulder.com.

Beyond Inspire Boulder, the city is also collecting feedback on e-bikes with a survey available here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/E-bikesurvey.  City staff will also be performing in-person surveys on multi-use paths around Boulder.

Additionally, you may provide feedback via the Transportation Master Plan website here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/transportation/tmp-update-comments.

Next Steps

Comments from the public meeting and other outreach events will be used to inform the final project proposal. The Transportation Advisory Board will hold a public hearing on e-bikes on Sept. 23 and make a formal recommendation to City Council.  Council will consider the pilot ordinance change at a first reading on Oct. 1.  A second reading and public hearing will be held on Oct. 22.  If approved by council, the pilot project would be launched in November 2013. Based on community feedback and results from the pilot project, council would evaluate whether to continue to allow the use of e-bikes on multi-use paths.

Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Update Process

E-bikes are one bicycle innovation under review by the City of Boulder as part of the TMP update’s “living laboratory.”  The city is looking for public feedback to better understand transportation choices and identify strategies that encourage more people in our community to walk and bike.

You can learn more about the current TMP update process, including how to participate on the “community feedback panel” for the bicycle and walking innovations, at http://www.bouldertmp.net   To participate in the online community conversation, visit http://www.inspireboulder.com. Or contact:  Marni Ratzel, Senior Transportation Planner, at Ratzelm@bouldercolorado.gov or phone: (303) 441-4138