By Tia Crabtree | It’s a Boise Thing
As Treasure Valley communities continue to grow, so does the number of people using the Boise River Greenbelt. Walkers, runners, families with strollers, skateboarders, scooters, cyclists, and now electric bikes all compete for the same pathway, creating safety concerns that have become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Garden City has adopted new regulations aimed at addressing the rapid increase in electric bicycle traffic along portions of the Greenbelt. The goal is simple: improve safety for everyone sharing one of the region’s busiest recreational corridors.
While the new e-bike rules are a positive first step, they may only address part of the larger issue.
Over the years, I’ve witnessed several accidents and near misses along the Greenbelt, particularly in some of its busiest sections between Luciano’s Restaurant and The Riverside Hotel. These aren’t just problems involving electric bikes. High-speed cyclists, skateboarders, and other wheeled users can all create dangerous situations when traveling through heavily congested pedestrian areas.
One incident has stayed with me for years.
Near the Boise Whitewater Park surf wave, I watched an older cyclist traveling eastbound at what appeared to be an extremely high rate of speed. A father standing near the path was holding his baby while watching surfers below. As he leaned slightly toward the river for a better view, the cyclist’s handlebars clipped the father’s elbow.
Thankfully, the father and baby were not injured. The impact, however, caused the cyclist to lose control and crash into the rocks alongside the Greenbelt. He was extremely banged up, and it was a sobering reminder of how quickly a split-second incident can turn into a serious accident. The father hadn’t stepped far into the pathway—he had simply shifted his position for a moment to watch the surfers. The accident underscored the importance of traveling at a safe speed in areas where pedestrians naturally stop to enjoy the river.Add that luckily that the father and baby were OK but the cyclist fell into the rocks and was extremely banged up
Anyone who regularly visits the area knows that the stretch near the surf wave is one of the busiest on the entire Greenbelt. Families stop to watch surfers, tourists gather for photos, people enter and exit nearby restaurants, and pedestrians naturally pause to enjoy the scenery.
These are locations where slowing down should be expected.
As the Treasure Valley continues to grow, it may be time to consider designated dismount zones in the most congested areas rather than relying solely on speed limits or new e-bike regulations. Similar to pedestrian-heavy districts in other cities, requiring riders to walk their bikes through the busiest sections could significantly reduce the likelihood of serious collisions.
There may also be opportunities to improve awareness through additional signage, speed feedback displays, or other creative reminders that encourage cyclists to reduce speed before entering crowded areas. While any solution presents challenges—including maintenance and potential vandalism—the conversation is worth having before more preventable accidents occur.
The Greenbelt remains one of the Treasure Valley’s greatest community assets. As usage continues to increase, finding the right balance between recreation, transportation, and pedestrian safety will require thoughtful planning from local governments and cooperation from everyone who uses the pathway.
The new e-bike regulations are a meaningful step forward. But if the goal is preventing accidents, the next conversation may need to focus less on what people are riding—and more on where everyone should slow down.
