Tiburon police outline enforcement limits, urge regional consistency on Old Rail Trail speed

Tiburon — Captain Jared Yee of the Tiburon Police Department told the Parks, Open Space and Trails Commission on March 17 that the department is increasing its attention to safety and speed on the Old Rail Trail but that enforcement is limited by staffing and budget constraints.

Yee said officers “make every effort to patrol the Old Rail Trail when staffing permits” and that the department uses an overtime budget “strategically to deploy officers to the trail when possible.” He added that the department recently received printed administrative citations that give officers tools to take enforcement action on e-bike and other trail violations but said the department has not yet issued citations specifically for Old Rail Trail violations.

“Due to the demands of our department, we’re not able to stop the trail full time,” Yee said. He reported no recent collisions on the Old Rail Trail in the last year and said calls for service related to bicyclists remain low.

Commissioners pressed Yee on how speed and e-bike rules are enforced. Yee said California Vehicle Code standards and local municipal codes both apply but are carried out on different citation forms: vehicle-code violations proceed to superior court while municipal-code violations are handled through the town. He said officers also can issue written warnings and escalate to citations if repeat warnings are on record.

Yee described enforcement of speed as context-dependent: “For a speed violation to occur … it is above the posted speed limit, that’s one thing. But also what allows us to issue a citation … is if the bicyclist is traveling at a speed that is greater than reasonable or prudent.” He said factors include pedestrian density, weather, other trail users and the physical conditions at the moment of the stop.

Commissioners asked whether the commission should lower the trail speed limit from the current posted 15 mph (and 8 mph when pedestrians are present) to a uniform 10 mph. Yee said he is not opposed to reducing the limit but urged that the town consider consistency with neighboring jurisdictions. “We aim to maintain a balanced approach that reflects the safety needs of the Tiburon community while aligning with the other local and regional standards,” he said.

Commissioners and members of the public described cases and near-misses involving fast-moving riders and e‑bikes, and several commissioners said messaging and targeted enforcement during high-use periods would be more effective than changing a number alone. Yee reported the department has trained approximately five officers in bike patrol, purchased additional bicycles for patrol work, and is coordinating with Mill Valley police on youth education tied to e-bike citations.

Next steps: commissioners agreed to seek further input from the police chief and regional partners before recommending a specific municipal-code change; staff said the chief would be asked for a recommendation and the commission would revisit the item at a future meeting.