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Parents propose weekly ‘bike bus’ as Glens Falls board weighs sidewalk bicycle rules
Summary
At the July 9 Board of Public Safety meeting, parents described a volunteer-led “bike bus” to get middle-school students to Kensington safely while the board discussed possible changes to sidewalk rules for bicycles and motorized devices and plans for stakeholder outreach and data review.
Norbel Greenberger, a Glens Falls resident and parent, told the City of Glens Falls Board of Public Safety on July 9 that a group of parents has been organizing a volunteer “bike bus” to bring students to Kensington Middle School safely. “This group of parents has been working to develop a bike bus,” Greenberger said, describing priority routes chosen to use crossing guards and signalized intersections.
The idea, presented during the meeting’s public-comment period, would have chaperones at the front, side and rear of each route, and run on weekday mornings “ideally starting once a week for the rest of the school year,” Greenberger said. Mary Beth Chambers, a Horicon Avenue resident and parent, said the initiative aims to reduce congestion and absenteeism and to build students’ independence while keeping them safe: “It's more of an initiative.”
Barbara Jody, chair of the Anoramic Cycling Advocates, said the group supports the proposal and can help provide volunteers and equipment. “There is safety in numbers,” Jody said, and her group offered to fund a bike repair station and equipment for participating students.
The board then discussed a related, ongoing policy question: whether and how to limit or regulate bicycling and motorized personal mobility devices on sidewalks. Mayor (unnamed in the transcript) told the board the issue had been placed in members’ packets for review and that examples from other municipalities, including Ithaca, were included. The mayor urged the board to consider public input and data when developing recommendations.
Chief Smith, Glens Falls police chief, said staff are reviewing accident reports and will supply data for the board’s consideration. On enforcement and engineering tools, the chief noted a mobile radar trailer (a speed-enforcement device) has been purchased with ARPA funds; the department is awaiting delivery and will train staff on its use before proposing deployment protocols.
Board members suggested structured outreach: convene the city’s three bicycle organizations and broaden input to include senior-service providers, Glens Falls Housing Authority representatives, hospital clinicians and disability advocates. The mayor said the city will seek coalesced recommendations from the groups and hold public-input meetings when a draft direction is ready.
Why it matters: the discussion ties a parent-led safety initiative to potential changes in city policy on sidewalk use. Any ordinance change would affect who may ride on sidewalks, where, and with what exemptions; board members repeatedly emphasized balancing cyclist safety with pedestrian needs, particularly for older residents and people using mobility devices.
What the board directed next: members were asked to review the packet material, the police department will prepare relevant accident data, and staff will continue outreach with the cycling organizations and other stakeholders before returning potential recommendations to the board for discussion and public input.
