~ Submitted by Robert Marshall
On June 26 my wife Jennifer and I went for a walk on the unpaved bike path from Rte. 62 West Bedford up to the JGMS. While on our walk there was a young male (18-21} riding an electric bike at a high rate of speed (estimated 25 MPH). he was zig zagging from side to side of the trail. The operator of the electric bike was East towards the JGMS. The trail had multiple number of walkers, bikers, mothers & fathers with strollers and young children on their bicycles, dogs, cats and wildlife deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits.
The electric bike passed us again this time going West towards Concord. The electric bike again was going at a high rate of speed. Operating same with no care, concern, or caution for the people on the trail.
I was doing some research on the electric bikes and there is pending legislation with regards to these vehicles.
It is unfortunate the MA/GL were written with regards to mopeds and scooters. Some models of the electric bikes can reach top speeds of 60 MPH (HPC 2020 Revolution X). Others can go at speeds from 15 MPH to 40 MPH.
The town needs to address this Safety Hazard immediately. It is an accident waiting to happen with the result of serious injury or death of a pedestrian on the trail. I would suggest the town be proactive and not wait for the accident to be reactive.
I have enclosed some literature with regards to the electric bikes.
One other request is the DPW paint a crosswalk on North Road in front of Bedford Farms where there is a high flow of pedestrian traffic of children when school is in session and the public attempting to cross North Road to get to Bedford Farms.
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The town has a plan for a cross walk (and I think a signal) by Bedford Farms, but Town Meeting voted down the funding.
Very simple to paint the X Walk. I would even pa for the paint. Rather see paint in the street instead of an accident victim’s blood.
The town has been working for years for a crosswalk at Bedford Farms and have finally secured the money! Hopefully next year
Easy. Make the path accessible to non-powered vehicles only.
outlawing powered vehicles on bike paths completely is a violation of ADA – you must allow powered wheelchairs there.
As with every rule there are exceptions. A powered wheel chair is more than welcomed. E-bikes, e-scooters and whatever else can be denied access and should stick to the roads and follow motor vehicles laws and rules of the roads.
In my experience the E-bikes, scooters, boards are a peril. So are the packs of fast cyclists barreling down the existing nature path.