Ashwaubenon committee reviews draft bicycle and pedestrian plan, flags e‑bike enforcement and mapping issues

Ashwaubenon — The village Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee spent its meeting reviewing the first two chapters of an updated bicycle and pedestrian comprehensive plan and raising questions about mapping, terminology and how to handle electric devices on sidewalks and trails.

Devin, a Brown County staff member who is preparing the update, told the committee he had completed the plan’s introduction and community profile and sought feedback before drafting the action‑oriented chapters. “What we’ve been working on… updating the village’s bicycle and pedestrian plan,” he said, describing a public input survey conducted this summer and a workshop last October that helped refine goals and objectives. He told members he plans to bring the remainder of the draft back in December for review and target final review in January.

Committee members recommended moving the plan’s guiding principles and goals earlier in the document, and asked that policies be placed where they link directly to action items. Several members also pressed for clearer map labels and a glossary: the plan currently lists 32 miles of sidewalks, about 4.6 miles of marked bike lanes and roughly 70 miles of roadway, and includes a GIS layer described as “wide curb lanes” and another labeled “visually narrow lanes.” One member said those GIS classifications need verification and a plain‑language definition so readers do not assume a wide curb lane is a dedicated bicycle facility.

The committee discussed a passage that said the plan would improve connections “across the Fox River.” Members recommended rewording that language to focus on improving connections to the Fox River Trail or east–west trail connections, noting the village does not unilaterally control crossings on the river’s far side.

A sustained portion of the meeting addressed electric bicycles, scooters and faster, motorcycle‑style electric devices (described in the discussion as “eMotos”). The presenter and a public safety representative said the village ordinance mirrors state statute definitions for e‑bikes and e‑scooters, but distinguishing high‑speed or larger electric vehicles from pedal‑assist e‑bikes can be difficult in practice. “It comes down to education. It comes down to enforcement,” the public safety representative said, adding that officers and staffing levels limit how much on‑street enforcement can be done.

Members urged that the plan include a policy to revisit device rules periodically and recommended expanding education programs in schools; the committee noted a public safety education course for elementary grades (grade 5 and below) and discussed opportunities to extend training to middle and high schools. Several members said parents and residents are asking for clear, accessible information on local ordinance rules and helmet requirements.

Devin also noted that Brown County’s bicycle and pedestrian plan will be updated next year and said the village plan should reference the county document to ensure regional alignment. On mapping, he agreed to verify whether the North Road bike trail and portions of the New River Trail shown in the GIS are existing facilities or proposed segments.

The committee approved routine procedural items (agenda and minutes) by voice vote and set a tentative follow‑up meeting for mid‑December, with the option of moving to Jan. 15 to ensure enough review time and quorum. Members asked that the presenter provide materials a few days before the next meeting so they can review them in advance.

The committee adjourned after the final motion was made and carried.