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Users urge BPAC to curb e-bike speeds, tighten enforcement and widen sections of the Santa Fe Rail Trail
Summary
Public comment at the April 9 BPAC meeting urged the committee to reconsider allowing e-bikes on the Santa Fe Rail Trail, improve leash enforcement and widen narrow trail sections; BPAC agreed to pursue signage and asked its education subcommittee to draft trail‑etiquette materials.
Multiple users of the Santa Fe Rail Trail told the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee on April 9 that faster e‑bikes, unleashed dogs and narrow trail segments are creating safety hazards, and they urged the committee to pursue policy changes and clearer signage.
Brooklyn Freriedman, who identified herself as a regular Rail Trail user, asked the committee to “rescind what you’re allowing right now” — the use of electric bikes — saying she has been startled by high speeds from older riders on e‑bikes and has nearly been knocked off her bike when dogs lunged at her. “It’s very dangerous,” she said.
Committee members acknowledged the concerns and discussed enforcement limits. During a prior ordinance effort, BPAC drafters concluded numeric trail speed limits are difficult to enforce, and several members on April 9 favored education and signage. “We can’t control people going through red lights — how do you control an e‑bike?” a member said, arguing hard speed limits would be impractical without enforcement resources.
Still, the committee agreed on action steps: the Promotion, Education & Communications subcommittee will draft trail‑etiquette and wayfinding signage for review; staff noted available road impact fee funding categories that can be used for bike‑lane and signage projects. Members also discussed clarifying the city’s existing e‑bike language to emphasize considerate riding, and asked staff to explore better leash‑law enforcement and where animal‑control resources could be targeted along the trail.
Bike Santa Fe board member Genevieve Morgan urged separating paint from infrastructure: "Paint is not infrastructure," she said, supporting protected lanes rather than solely painted stripes, and she backed community outreach to improve compliance and awareness.
Next steps: staff and BPAC subcommittees will draft signage options and prioritize locations for initial pilot signs and enforcement outreach; BPAC flagged the topic for continued follow‑up and possible policy refinement.
