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After 15 months, OSMP reports minimal e‑bike conflicts; monitoring and data collection continue
Summary
OSMP staff told trustees the first 15 months of allowing class 1 and 2 e‑bikes on selected trails produced few enforcement interactions and little public complaint; the department will continue monitoring, counters and education efforts and maintain an adaptive approach to opening additional trails.
Open Space and Mountain Parks staff told the Board of Trustees on Jan. 15 that 15 months after allowing class 1 and class 2 electric bicycles on selected trails, e‑bike implementation is proceeding with limited enforcement interactions and little public complaint.
Casey French, an OSMP staff member leading the update, said e‑bikes are allowed on all trails east of Broadway/US‑36 that permit bicycles and on a handful of west‑of‑Broadway trails (South Foothills, Wonderland Lake, Boulder Canyon and Chapman Drive). The policy also permits adding new trails within the established guidance without revisiting the ordinance under certain conditions.
French said rangers recorded seven interactions with e‑bike riders who were not in compliance in the roughly 15‑month period and that staff received relatively little community feedback specifically about e‑bikes. The department added e‑bike categories to its 2024 on‑site intercept survey and installed counters at trailheads to collect usage data; analysis of that data is ongoing.
Trustee John asked whether some recorded interactions were traditional bicycles on trails where biking is prohibited; French clarified the department’s incident database separates traditional biking from e‑biking when categorizing interactions.
Trustee Brady and others asked about disability access and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Lisa (OSMP staff, formerly a ranger) said people with qualifying disabilities may use electric mobility devices on trails without providing proof of disability, and staff should not ask about the nature or extent of a person’s disability. OSMP staff said such disclosures typically end further enforcement conversations.
Several trustees praised the department’s public outreach and educational approach and asked whether additional trails could be opened. French said adding trails outside the current policy “spirit” would require additional community engagement, and that the department is monitoring data and coordinating with Boulder County to preserve consistency across adjacent open space systems.
Staff concluded the update saying they will continue cyclical monitoring, targeted maintenance where needed and education/outreach as adaptive management tools.
