Now nearly all Park City-area paths will have speed limits of 15 miles per hour.
The limit applies to major bike paths, such as the Rail Trail, Millennium trail and Poison Creek trail, but not singletrack.
E-bikes are banned on singletrack, with exceptions for those with a mobility disability or who are 65 and older.
The Park City Council adopted those rules in May, and the Snyderville Basin Recreation Special Service District followed suit July 10 at the Summit County Council.
“With as many visitors as we have to the community, and residents, consistency helps with enforcement and practice and education,” Basin Rec Board Chair Brandi Connolly told the Summit County Council.
The speed limits come after some residents raised concerns about high speeds on ever more crowded trails.
Park City-area resident of 40 years John Adams said the gravel paths between his neighborhood of Silver Springs and Ranch Place aren’t as safe as they used to be.
“Now, it’s become a lot of motorbikes,” he said at the meeting. “And while we talk about ‘e-bikes,’ it is a motorbike.”
There are currently three classes of e-bikes recognized by regulators.
Class 1 e-bikes are pedal-assisted but without a throttle, and they reach 20 mph. Class 2 e-bikes are pedal-assisted with a throttle and reach 20 mph too.
Class 3 e-bikes are pedal-assisted, have no throttle and reach 28 mph. Even faster throttled e-bikes exist, but they don’t fall within regulators’ classification system.
When it comes to the e-bike ban on singletrack, the exception for disabled and older people only allows them to use class 1 e-bikes—so no throttle.
Basin Rec said a survey of the Park City area shows about half of city and Basin residents own an e-bike. Less than 1 in 5 own an e-mountain bike.
Seven in 10 survey respondents support speed limits.
