Boise could create a new offense for speeding on the Greenbelt. Will it help?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Boise may create a Greenbelt offense for travel deemed unsafe or reckless.
- Agreement among jurisdictions allows cross-city enforcement of Greenbelt rules.
- Despite ordinance, Ada County enforcement remains minimal with no citations or arrests.
The city of Boise wants to create a new offense for speeding on the Boise River Greenbelt.
Anyone who travels in a way that is not “reasonable and prudent” or has no regard to the path’s hazards could face an infraction. In serious cases, people could face a misdemeanor. The move comes after Ada County last year adopted a similar ordinance to try and curtail problems in part thanks to faster e-bikes.
However, Greenbelt users will likely not notice any changes, according to Boise spokesperson Maria Ortega.
The ordinance helps codify an agreement among Boise, Eagle, Star, Garden City and Ada County to allow officers to enforce Greenbelt violations no matter what jurisdiction they’re in.
But even then, there doesn’t appear to be much enforcement. Ada County deputies haven’t made any arrests or issued any citations under their code since approving it in August 2024, according to Ada County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lauren Montague.
There is no speed limit in Boise’s ordinance. Although Ada County briefly considered a 10 mph speed limit in July, law enforcement officers and prosecutors pushed back on the idea, in part because bikers don’t always know how fast they may be going.
The Greenbelt comes with certain etiquette rules, according to the city. For example, people should announce “on your left” when passing another user and be mindful of their surroundings.
But those rules aren’t always followed. For example, bikers sometimes zip silently and unannounced past walkers. On one spring day inApril, a biker texted, eyes on their phone, while sailing down the tree-lined path.
And even as technology changes, not all e-bikes are created alike. Some reach higher speeds than others, and some don’t require the bicyclist to pedal. Some users find ways to unlock their bikes, essentially getting around the vehicle’s speed limit. Typically, e-bike speeds top out at around 28 miles per hour.
On Tuesday morning, a sign along the edge of the grass warned people not to be speed demons. But at the same time, an e-bike rider kept her hands behind her back, not steering as she careened down the path.
For almost 18 years, Viktor Bentley has been riding his bike and walking on the Greenbelt since he moved to the area. Over time, he’s seen more “drunken teenagers riding scooters,” he told the Statesman.
“It’s nice overall, it just has gotten faster and noisier,” Bentley said, standing at the edge of Julia Davis Park. “What are you going to do? It’s a growing city.”
