E-safety on the Boise Greenbelt

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This story originally published in the 2024-2025 Treasure Valley Living, a publication of Idaho Business Review.)

Have motor, will travel. Faster and farther, in the case of e-bikes. But while much attention has focused on electric bicycles speeding on the Boise Greenbelt, many residents and visitors to the city prefer a more leisurely ride along the river.

A new Ada County ordinance includes a code amendment to address safety on the urban trail system, recognizing that a variety of people use the 25-mile stretch of the Boise River Greenbelt for different reasons. From commuters and students to families with strollers and (on-leash) dogs, it’s a reminder that the Greenbelt wasn’t necessarily built for speed.

Violating a speed that is “reasonable and prudent” under the conditions can result in an infraction, even a misdemeanor if the bad behavior results in someone getting hurt. If the code sounds like it’s based on Idaho’s reckless driving laws, it is. But with prices in the $1,500 to $3,000 range and speeds of up to 28 mph, personal e-bike ownership is still somewhat limited.

Especially for in-town day use, renting a modest green and white e-bike or e-scooter using a convenient mobile app is more practical for most people. The popular Lime shared mobility service fleet can be used on city streets and sidewalks as well as on bike lanes and urban pathways. At $1 dollar to unlock and 36 cents per minute to ride, it’s as light on the pocketbook as it is on speed.

According to the Ride Report for Boise, the average trip speed for e-bikes rented through Lime was 6.86 mph in all of 2023 and the first two quarters of 2023. It drops to 6.03 mph for e-scooters. By way of comparison, the average jogging speed is 4 to 6 mph – faster than walking and slower than running. Speeds are likely on the higher end when jogging with an enthusiastic (on-leash) dog.

In 2018, the City of Boise adopted ordinances to allow the use of Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes (those with speeds up to 20 mph), along with e-scooters in city limits. In July of 2023, it selected Lime to be the only “shared micromobility” provider in the city. Considered a safe, attractive and high-quality transportation option to reduce automobile traffic, e-scooters and e-bikes can now be rented throughout Boise. They can also spotted at other Ada County locations.

To use this alternative transportation service, visit the Lime Boise webpage at www.li.me/locations/boise for a map of e-bike and e-scooter locations and local program information, including membership options and rules of the road. Then, download the Lime App at limebike.app.link/LimeWebsiteAppDownloadMM to locate available rides nearby. Use your smartphone to scan a code on the e-vehicle to unlock it, ride as long as you want, then drop it off almost anywhere for the next person to use (riders who return to Preferred Parking Zones get a discount on their next trip).

Lime also offers discounts to more-than-occasional users, such as special ride pass rates and employer pass programs. Along with student discounts and monthly unlock rates, it sponsors a low-income discount program called Lime Access and an adaptive fleet delivery program called Lime Assist. As a reminder, their e-bikes and e-scooters are for those 18 years and older.

While e-bikes and e-scooters don’t need to be parked in a dock or station, proper parking etiquette is still required. Mind your manners in other words, as users may be fined for not complying with parking rules. In the end, e-safety and e-civility is everyone’s responsibility – on or off the Boise Greenbelt, where officials once suggested a 10-mph speed limit. Choose comfort over speed as you enjoy your commuter or cruiser ride on urban pathways and above all, do your part to be “reasonable and prudent” out there.