Mountain Biking on Monroe County Park Trails?

Monroe County has unveiled the draft Master Plan for the six parks that ring Irondequoit Bay - Ellison Park, Ellison Wetlands, Tryon Park, Irondequoit Bay Park East, Irondequoit Bay Park West, and Devil's Cove.  This Master Plan recommends major changes to some of these areas, without adequately considering the concerns of all of the stakeholders – the users, namely, you.

The most significant change is to allow mountain bikes on existing trails in Tryon Park and on a to-be-constructed shared-use trail in Irondequoit Bay Park West.  Bicyclists have never been allowed* on Monroe County park trails - for good reason.  The existing trails in our parks are often narrow, on hills, and typically do not have good sight distance.  They were developed  as walking trails, and were not designed for "shared use"  by both pedestrians and bicycles. (The canal path is an example of a "shared use trail" - it is wide, straight and flat.)

To open existing trails in our parks to bicyclists will have serious long term impact - to park users and the parks themselves.   To change decades of park policy, to bend to political pressure and allow  bicyclists and walkers to use the same park trails in the spirit of "shared-use" trails is a bad idea - it will not work in reality.

MC Parks Law

* Section 323-15. Bicycles

A. (1) No person shall ride a bicycle upon the lawns, walks, foot trails or bridle trails of county parks or parkways unless designated for such vehicles. 

The draft Master Plan should NOT be adopted without further consideration of these issues.

5/13/09 Update: The Master Plan was passed by a 16 to 13 vote at the full legislature meeting.  Mt. Biking will be allowed in Tryon and Bay Park West. (As of October 2009, it is not yet legal.)

*Your Comments Are Needed* 

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Reasons bicycles should not be permitted on existing trails:

• Safety  - There is a serious safety concern if rapidly moving cyclists use the same park trails as walkers (including families with children, senior citizens, people with hearing impairments, hikers, nature lovers, photographers, dog walkers and others). Typical park trails are narrow, curvy, and often on hillsides.  Many park trails do not have good sight distance.
• User Displacement - Although bicycles are currently illegal to ride off-road in county parks, Tryon Park is actively used by mountain bikers. Many walkers don't want to risk accidents, they don't feel safe, and stop using the trails. These legitimate users on foot no longer visit this park in order to avoid conflicts with bikes.  "Shared use" by both bicyclists and pedestrians on these trails is a myth.   The "shared use" becomes "single use" - by cyclists.  Park users lose out to a narrow special interest.
  
• Nature Experience – Many trail users seek quiet solitude or connection to nature while walking on the trails. When a cyclist surprises a walker on a park trail, their experience is disrupted and difficult to regain.   The experience changes from a nature 

  Additional Information

  Unsuccesful Crescent Trail 

  Mountain Bike Trial - Full Report

  
  

  Illegal and Unsafe Behavior 

  by Bikers in County Parks

  
  

  Hiker - Biker Incidents: 

  Writers Share Their Experiences

  
  

  Mountain Biking in our Parks - 

  Will it Really Help our Public Health Concerns?

  
  
  experience, to "looking over ones shoulder" to be sure no one is approaching.  A walk in a park is qualitatively different than a walk on a bike path.  Both have their places.
  
• Environmental Impact – Many Monroe County Parks, like the Ellison Area Parks along Irondequoit Bay, have steep slopes,  and easily erodable, glacially deposited soils.  The impacts of heavy use by bicycles on these soils needs to be carefully studied, to prevent further erosion and degradation. The Monroe County Parks Department has stated that "preservation of the resource" is a primary concern, but that is not reflected by the Master Plan. View additional photos.
  

• Easy Rule Change - Allowing bikes off-road in county parks only takes authorization by the County Parks Director. If this rule is changed to allow bikes on existing trails in one or two parks, how easy will it be to allow bikes on all trails in all of the parks?
• Trial Period and Monitoring - The master plan draft proposes allowing  mountain biking on park trails for an 18 month trial period, with little discussion about monitoring and evaluation.  A clearly defined monitoring and evaluation program needs to be in place before any trail is opened to cyclists.  No criteria have been established upon which to evaluate the success or failure of the trial.  Evaluation must be done by independent parties - not those with a vested interest in the outcome. Consideration must be given to evaluate whether users stop visiting these parks because of safety concerns. Baseline information should be gathered.  
  
• Special Interest Group Influence - Although many environmental groups, numbering over 8000 members, have stated their opposition to  these proposed changes,  a single special interest group of mountain bikers has had undue influence on the planning process.
  

Recommendations:

• Dedicated Mountain Biking Trail (not shared use) - Consider a single, properly designed trail for mountain biking in Tryon Park.
• Trial Period - Once the trail is designed and built, implement a trial period with proper evaluation and monitoring.
• Feedback - The County should listen to feedback from ALL users, not just the mountain biking community.