Robert Schwartz noticed the no-e-bike sign at the Dahlia Street trailhead and decided he’d had enough. The 78-year-old retired geriatrician and Cherry Hills Village resident has since reached out to city leaders asking them to reconsider a rule that bars e-bikes from the town’s stretch of the High Line Canal Trail, a 71-mile former irrigation ditch mostly owned by Denver Water that cuts through 11 jurisdictions across the metro area.
Schwartz argues the ban limits exercise options for older people who rely on pedal-assist bikes to stay active, according to The Denver Post. So far, he hasn’t received a response from city leaders. Cherry Hills Village forbids motorized vehicles on its trails outright, with an exception only for people with disabilities using e-bikes for mobility assistance, and the city maintains at least two no-e-bike signs along its section of the canal path.
The frustration is sharpened by geography. E-bikes are permitted on most of the High Line Canal Trail, including in neighboring Greenwood Village and Denver, where riders just have to stay under a posted 15-mph speed limit. Cross into Cherry Hills Village, though, and the same bike that was legal a few blocks earlier becomes prohibited, even though the city itself sets a 15-mph speed limit on its portion of the trail for everyone else.
Why One Small City Holds the Line
Denise White, a Cherry Hills Village official, said the citywide motorized-vehicle rule reflects trail safety considerations rather than any specific incident. Cherry Hills Village police have not cited anyone for illegal e-bike use on the trail in the past year, White said, and officers often issue a warning for a first offense rather than a ticket. The city’s Parks, Trails and Recreation Commission plans to review e-bike regulations early next year, White said, and could recommend changes to the municipal code for City Council to consider…