Tuesday, May 31, 2011
bicycles Garden City Greenbelt Debate Heads to Court
Posted by George Prentice on Tue, May 31, 2011 at 10:58 AM
A debate over Greenbelt access in Garden City, which has already raged for four years, will make its way to Ada County Court next February.
Citizens for an Open Greenbelt said today that their suit against Garden City over access to a 1.5-mile section of the Greenbelt in the city's Riverside Village area, will be heard Feb. 21, 2012, in district court.
COG claims original Idaho State Land Board documents prove that the stretch just west of Glenwood Street and north of the Boise River "was intended to be a bike path."
"For over four years, COG has attempted to resolve this issue with Garden City officials," said COG spokesman Gary Segers. "But they have steadfastly refused to open this path to bike riding."
Comments (4)
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I bike 7 miles of Greenbelt to and from work everyday.
Even as a cyclist, this 'cause' seems overreaching.
Why not leave this 1.5 miles to peds alone? Cyclists have no 'right' to pass through here, too, and in fact, it would need significant improvements for all proposed users to use this section of trail safely. Who's gonna pay for that?
In my opinion, it cannot be opened to bicycles "as is," because when I walk through there (and I do often) it is clear that there is NOT enough room for bikes and peds together.
In a more general comment...cyclists on the Greenbelt need to show significantly more respect to peds anyway. Very few riders are even obeying the rules they fought for a year ago in the City of Boise. For example, I rarely get audible warnings when being passed (as a cyclist or as a ped), and I observe many cyclists blasting through congested areas without regard for others. I have even been hit by another cyclist as they tried to pass me when I was waiting for my opportunity to pass a group of peds safely.
Final opinion...Garden City should continue to oppose this opening until the trail is appropriately upgraded, if that's what they want at all, and it is clear they don't. Are you all getting the message after these 4 years?!
NWBoiseCitizen. Read the agreement/settlements. Garden City/Evans Construction have been required to upgrade this portion of the Greenbelt to allow cyclist.
http://www.idahocog.org/Docs/1996.07.29%20…
NWBoiseCitizen - We agree on some of your comments; particularly your thoughts concerning "In a more general comment..." Cyclists are their own worst enemy in terms of public opinion. As you said, cyclists need to show more respect to pedestrians. I hate being startled by a bike rider that comes by me (either walking or riding) without notice and riding way too fast. But we are not in agreement with your comments about the bike path in Riverside Village being too unsafe and requiring "significant improvements". Hardly the case if one looks at this bike path. Yes there are a couple of sections that need improvement; at most a hundred feet or so. Otherwise this pathway is no different that much of the Greenbelt in Eagle and in some sections of Boise or Ada County. COG has posted pictures most of the disputed section on our website that clearly shows the majority of this 1 1/2 mile section is very safe if....pedestrians and bike riders use courtesy. Take a look at the Boise Parks and Rec section on "user courtesies" for an excellent example.
Moreover, Garden City should be taking care of this section as mandated by the State in their agreement that Garden City signed in 1996. Were you aware of this?
Let's face it - a major reason this bike path is closed is because a very few, very few homeowners and users who want this section to be their very own "nature trail" and Garden City? The reality is that this is a amenity that is intended for all users of the Greenbelt including commuters, recreational riders, families, and children.
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