This week the Sanibel City Council advanced an ordinance (in a 5-0 vote) to allow Class 2 ebikes on Sanibel’s 26 miles of shared use paths. Class 2 ebikes can go up to 20 MPH.
Class 1 ebikes (pedal assist with no throttle) were already allowed.
The Sanibel City staff will now take a look at the condition of the entire shared use path and recommend speed limits. They’ll be looking at how wide the paths are, where there may be sharp turns, and where there may be blind spots. They’ll use that research to recommend speed limits for the bikes. The two speeds being discussed at the council meeting were 15MPH and 20MPH.
It’s important to note that Sanibel has its own police department, although at the City Council meeting Sanibel Police Chief William Dalton did seem a little skeptical on how bike speed limits would be enforced. Councilman John Henshaw wants the city to look into purchasing electronic devices to let riders know how fast they were going. Dalton said he wasn’t aware those were available for bikes but he would look into it.
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council is expected to consider changes to its ordinance, possible as early as August. Currently only pedal bikes are allowed on Fort Myers Beach sidewalks. No motorized vehicles of any variety are allowed on Fort Myers Beach sidewalks. It’s an issue that really divides walkers, bike riders and rivers (especially between Red Coconut and Times Square).
The shared use paths on Sanibel are wider than most of the sidewalks on Fort Myers Beach. Some of the shared use paths on Sanibel include middle lines to help keep foot and bike traffic flowing.
You have got to be kidding. All of this negative dialogue when walkers and bikers can coexist quite nicely. If the walkers are respectful to the bikers and the bikers are respectful to the walkers. Some of the solutions you put forth are ridiculous such as bike riders stopping every time they have to pass a pedestrian.
Meanwhile, pedestrians are allowed to walk without looking up from their phones or walk down the middle of the path and not share the path and do other rude behaviors.
Then you have the bikers who do not alert the walkers that they are coming and they do speed.
So if there was respect all the way around there would be very few problems. It goes both ways.
I can’t believe the City Council is allowing more & increasingly dangerous e-bikes on the shared use path. Once again, they chose profits over safety. They do what the businesses want, not what is best for Sanibel residents. They also did this during the summer months, when many residents are away & not aware of what is being proposed. What they have done is dangerous & should not have been allowed.
I can not tell you how many times I have yelled on ur left to people and they just keep walking and talking while taking up the whole sidewalk. Same way with ringing my bell. Worse yet the ones coming towards me, on their phones, never looking up and almost run into me. I have even stopped on my back to wait o see what direction they go. And yes I ride on the sidewalks because there is no way to ride on the street. Especially if u r going with the backed up traffic. Again not paying attention, the driver is easing up with the traffic and comes into the bike lane. Their tires only to go a few inches over that line and u r dead. The beach is the same way. Walkers do not pay attention, walking right out in front of you. My point is, it is not always about the bikers. Walkers need to pay attention. Look how many people just walk across the road in front of ur car not paying any attention to the traffic. Share the road, share the sidewalks.
Agreed! How many times have I had pedestrians step right out! They don’t even look like they’re going to cross the street, then there they are! And they walk way in front of their small children!
I am a little confused. I thought sidewalks were built to walk on. Hence the word walk. Besides that, it is more healthy to walk. I have nothing against bikers or e-bikers. But why is it that I see most e-bikers using them as motor bikes then peddling?
This will make those beautiful paths dangerous for every one. Sad ….
Sanibel police are already challenged with trying to control speeding cars and trucks. How could they possibly add monitoring bike speeders??? Walking on the paths is dangerous enough with regular bikes and E1. Rarely does a biker alert me verbally or with a bell; many times traffic. noise drowns out alerts.
I agree. Walkers and pedal bikes have to have the right of way. The e-bikes should also be required to have a bell etc to warn the other sidewalk users they’re about to be plowed into because they inevitably will not give right of way. Just pedal bikes and walkers on the sidewalks can be dicey without the introduction of motorized bikes. And please keep them off the beach.
There is a huge difference of traffic on the sidewalk, between summer and season. If all bicyclists were required to move to the street or stop when approaching pedestrians, this might work. However, educating the residents and tourist would be an ongoing challenge.
How about the rule is that ebikes can use the side walk but cannot pass pedestrians – they must dismount or return to the road. I figure about 95% of the sidewalk is empty most of the time until you get to the north end. Then its too busy to ride on the sidewalk anyway. In the south and mid island we could ride in safety. Its a shame they put bike lanes in the south and not the north…. But bike lane or not the drivers are dangerous and I dont feel safe for myself or my kids using them.