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Resident urges enforcement of ban on motorized vehicles on Paseo Trail; council asks staff to study options
Summary
A Chandler resident urged enforcement of a longstanding prohibition on motorized vehicles—including e-bikes—on the canal/Paseo Trail, citing safety concerns; council members and staff said they will investigate enforcement and signage options.
Brook Beal, a Chandler resident, told the City Council on March 27 that he wants the city to enforce a municipal restriction banning motor-assisted vehicles on the canal and Paseo Trail and to coordinate with Salt River Project (SRP).
Beal said the rule—codified by the council in Chapter 31, Section 6, Paragraph C—clearly prohibits motor-assisted vehicles and that inconsistent enforcement has allowed electric bicycles and other motorized devices to operate on the trail. “When you have a motorized vehicle, you can maintain that speed for quite some distance,” Beal said, adding that he has measured travel time between lampposts and recorded speeds that he believes exceed safe limits for a mixed-use equestrian, pedestrian and bicycle corridor.
The council discussed the concern after Beal’s public comment. Council members and staff acknowledged enforcement is challenging because officers often arrive after alleged infractions have ended and because some e-bikes operate primarily in pedal-assist mode.
City staff said they have been discussing “additional enforcement measures” with the police department and will return to council with ideas. “We have been talking with the police to promote some additional enforcement measures we may be able to employ, and so we'll share those with you,” a city staff member reported during the meeting.
Council members suggested a range of possible responses discussed at the meeting: more targeted enforcement patrols, larger or additional signage on the trail, placement of officers at canal access points, bicycle patrols, and, as a longer-term measure, traffic- and usage-studies to inform policy. Council member Harris asked whether the city could commission a study to gather usage patterns, accident data and other baseline information to guide mitigation measures.
Beal also noted SRP’s separate rule barring motorized vehicles on SRP property and asked the city to coordinate with SRP. City staff confirmed state law and existing municipal code apply and emphasized the practical enforcement difficulty of catching violations in progress.
No new ordinance or formal policy change was adopted during the meeting. Council members directed staff to investigate enforcement options and return with recommendations.
The topic was raised during public comment (item 5) and followed by council discussion and a staff pledge to report back; no formal action or vote accompanied the discussion.
