New e-bike proposal aims to ban some bike models from dirt roads in Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE CITY — Certain E-bikes may be banned from natural dirt trails and parks in Salt Lake County under a newly proposed ordinance.

"We want our trails to last forever, and for everyone to have fun on our trails and be safe on our trails," said County Council Member Suzanne Harrison at a Tuesday night council meeting.

Class 1 e-bikes will be affected differently under the ordinance, because they only use a peddle-assisted motor.

However, Class 2 and Class 3 bikes, which have throttles, are the real concern. Harrison said these e-bikes could be dangerous to other trail users and to the trail itself.

"We don't want anything with a throttle on our dirt trails scaring other bikers, hikers, animals on those trails. So this just adds definitions, adds some safety. The goal is education, not enforcement," she said.

Associate deputy mayor over the county's regional operations, Lisa Hartman, said the county certainly doesn't want to discourage people from using bikes.

"I think I speak for all of us here when we say we love e-bikes," Hartman said. "It's bringing a lot of new people out into our parks and trails. It's also bringing people back that maybe couldn't get out on the trails and we're also getting a lot of new young riders. But with that becomes a lot of new conflicts on the trail because you have some new people to the trails who are not used to using them."

The second half of the ordinance would introduce a $150 fine for Class 1 e-bikes going more than 20 mph on multi-use trails and in parks.

The ordinance right now would apply to unincorporated areas — Yellow Fork and Butterfield Canyons were specifically named. But Hartman said the county mayor could be considering updating the park rules.

They have also spoken with other municipalities, asking them to consider updating park rules in their areas.

The council voted to move the ordinance forward; it will be discussed at next week's county council meeting, where the public can comment.

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