Saturday, August 13, 2011
bicycles Citizens For an Open Greenbelt Hold Protest in Garden City
Posted by Josh Gross on Sat, Aug 13, 2011 at 5:53 PM
Approximately 125 members of the Citizens for an Open Greenbelt convened at the corner of Glenwood and Riverside streets in Garden City this morning to protest a ban on bicycles on a section of the Garden City Greenbelt.
COG says that the original donation of the land in 1980 dictated its usage as a bike path. Garden City disagrees. The issue has gone back and forth in court for the last several years. Officials said that the goal today was to make their cause more visible to the general public.
To do so, they walked their bikes through the section of the Greenbelt that is closed to bicycle traffic, waving and greeting residents and pedestrians, some of whom heckled them in response.
"I hope you get a ticket," shouted one homeowner. A man standing next to him raised his fists as if to say, "Put up your dukes."
"This is the only place I can walk without getting run down by bikers," a frustrated pedestrian grunted.
But not everyone was against them. Many passing cars honked in approval, and some pedestrians made approving comments.
Several of the protesters rode unicycles, tricycles and one four-wheeled pedal car as a commentary on the ban's wording only applying to bicycles.
The group reached the end of the disputed section of pathway and turned around. When they got back to the start, some headed to City Hall but most of the crowd dispersed.
Comments (10)
Showing 1-10 of 10
The Riverside Drive homeowners believe that they own the Greenbelt there. The courts will put an end to to that in February. There are sixteen miles of greenbelt where bikes and pedestrians peacefully coexist. This stretch breaks it up and forces bikes onto the busy streets. These Garden City politicians should be ashamed of themselves. This land was dedicated to the public and they are trying to claim it as their own.
like
dislikeI think this section of the path should remain cycle free. It's true we pedestrians have very few places we can walk without being mowed over by either a bike or a car; even though supposedly we have the right of way we are expected to get out of the way. And only about 1 in 30 cyclists signal their approach, by the way.
We applaud the efforts of the Citizens for an Open Greenbelt. The above comment suggests there exists a divide between cyclists and pedestrians. I don't deny that conflicts do occur but, by and large, the two groups generally coexist harmoniously-Witness the Boise Foothills and the rest of the Greenbelt all the way to Lucky Peak. The Greenbelt provides not only a valuable recreational amenity but a critical commuting corridor link. We have two young children and enjoy the Greenbelt both on foot and by bike.
Pedestrians have priority on the greenbelt. However it is a dangerous place because pedestrians are usually older, walking leisurely with their dogs, cyclists are younger, racing and in their full gear unrecognisable, no license plates! Therefore no consequences.
There was once a motto on Ch. 2" We want Boise to be the greatest city in the country, if you are young!!!" This is certainly a case in point, the rights of the weaker group are compromised, next time you get run over, don't bother calling for help, you shouldn't have been there in the first place.
Katharina, your comment is so misguided. When do you hear of people getting run over on the other 15 miles of the greenbelt where bikes and pedestrians coexist quite peacefully? Never! You hear of bicyclists getting hit by cars on busy streets a lot more often. I am a senior citizen who rides my bike daily on the greenbelt. I find most young people using it polite and respectful. The only rude people are the old codgers who harass unsuspecting newbies who have unknowingly ridden their bikes into the restricted zone. They are mean and heartless. You and your neighbors are going to lose. The greenbelt does not belong to the people in the Riverside Drive neighborhood. I'm just sorry that my Garden City tax money is being wasted on legal fees trying to support you and the other residents who are trying to claim this public property as their own.
It is interesting how the occasional voice pops up and goes "I like it as a pedestrian-only area". I wonder how often those comments are from people in the neighborhood? The land was deeded over by the State of Idaho with a clear condition that a bicycle path be installed and maintained. This is not an instance where those wanting the area for cycling are imposing, rather, the cycling restriction has been imposed on them. Let me find a link: http://idahocog.org/rich_text_4.html
There was an asphalt path through there at one time (and you can still see it in some places). As time went on, that was downgraded to gravel, and of course the no biking signs went up. A land grab, pure and simple.
I do share Katharina's concern about cyclists who are not courteous. There definitely needs to be greater respect among bike riders, motorists, walkers, joggers, etc. Coexistence on our streets and pathways is critical and we need to promote safer, more livable pathways for all Greenbelt users.
However we disagree with Katharina's notion that the Riverside Village bikepath should be for the exclusive use of walkers and joggers. Unlike the Mayor and Council of Garden City, we believe in a truly open Greenbelt.
I was very upset after getting heckled by Riverside Drive home owners for riding through their sacred stretch of the Green Belt. I had just moved to town and was exploring what I thought was a gem of the city. Little did I know that I had moved into the dreaded: "Garden City Bike Dismount Zone"!! Dun.. Dun.. Dun! You would have thought someone was trying to steal a car and neighborhood watch was on patrol by the tenacity of these people. Talk about entitlement. Last I checked, you don't OWN the Greenbelt or the river. People don't get run over from anything I have seen. Most are very respectful. Shame on you Riverside Drive homeowners! You're wasting taxpayer money for something that you know is wrong. You can't pull the wool over our eyes.
We also when new to town rode in the wrong section. We signal and ride slowly. We were not kindly told of the rule, but very rudely yelled at. Bikes are transport and very few collisions have ever been reported. However, on my bike I often have to halt due to people on foot with dogs blocking both sides of the path walking four wide. We all need to keep Boise cool, be polite.
green belt should be slightly widened and a ped lane added.
for every discourteous rider there is an equally aloof walker or dog on a leash getting in riders way.
walkers deserve a pedestrian lane and bikers would be better off not having to dodge walkers.
- Home |
- About BW and FAQ |
- Contact Us |
- BW Classifieds |
- Submit an Event |
- Advertise |
- Post a FREE Ad |
- Subscribe |
- BW Feedback |
- Privacy Policy |
- Submission Guidelines |
- Code of Ethics |
-
|
-
|
- BW Local Guide |
-
|
-
|
- Job Opportunities |
- National Advertising |
- Check Out Food, Music, and Art in Other Cities
