Centennial Trail Foundation urges public to attend annual meeting, flags e-bike safety concerns

Mike Gridley, a board member of the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation, addressed the Coeur d'Alene City Council on Jan. 21 to invite council members and the public to the foundation’s annual meeting and to urge attention to trail safety as electric bicycles and faster users increase.

Gridley said the foundation’s annual meeting will be held Thursday at Vantage Brewery on East Sherman and suggested offering an incentive to boost attendance. He described the foundation as a nonprofit that raises funds to preserve and develop the North Idaho Centennial Trail and to promote nonmotorized connectivity across the region.

Gridley said a trail counter indicates significant use; his phrasing in the meeting was, “I don't have the exact number, but it's 100 of 1000 of people yearly use that trail.” He emphasized that users range from young to old and that the trail helps connect the community. Gridley expressed concern about higher-speed users, including e-bikes and triathletes, and said the trail carries a 15 mph speed limit but enforcement resources are limited.

Council members thanked Gridley and noted the foundation’s long involvement with trail development. A council member observed that police resources for enforcement are limited and that education and better signage might be part of the response. Gridley said the foundation expects to follow up with city staff and council about potential approaches, including better education, striping a center line, or other measures to separate faster-moving users from others.

His remarks also included praise for past city support; council members noted Gridley’s prior role as a city attorney when the trail was being developed and thanked him for continued involvement.

Gridley’s full comments and the date and location of the foundation meeting were provided during the public-comment period; no formal council action on trail policy or enforcement was taken at the meeting.