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Resident urges bigger 'no bike' signs on narrow Portola Valley single-track; committee to follow up
Summary
A resident told the Portola Valley Trails Committee that small 'no bike' signs are not visible enough on narrow single-track sections and are a safety hazard; the committee agreed to ask public works and Town Engineer Robert to assess larger signs or physical measures and to coordinate with the county where jurisdiction changes.
A local resident urged the Portola Valley Trails Committee on a public comment to place larger "no bike" signs at narrow single-track sections of the Portola Valley Road trail, saying the current small signs are missed and create a collision hazard for walkers, older users and horse riders.
The comment came from G Melon, who identified himself during the meeting and described narrow trail stretches where "you have people walking now you have especially older people with two sticks... the bike person is looking at the ground and then they crash." He recommended installing a more prominent sign at one or two locations where the trail dips and sight lines are poor.
Committee members acknowledged the concern and noted there is already a sign near the Presbyterian church that was removed and subsequently replaced. The group discussed that the town trail transitions into county jurisdiction beyond the town limits and agreed that addressing signage would require coordination with the agency that manages the next trail segment.
"So maybe we need to take a giant step and have a bigger sign so that people see," the Chair said, and members proposed a simple next step: email Town Engineer Robert and ask public works to evaluate sign size and placement. A committee member suggested exploring other physical measures, such as hard-to-ride short sections or dismount points, if signage alone is insufficient.
The committee did not adopt a formal policy or motion at the meeting; it directed staff and members to follow up with public works and to determine jurisdictional responsibility where the trail becomes county-managed. The item will be revisited once public works and the town engineer provide recommendations.
