In the last few weeks, Whistler resident Cindy Wagner has seen numerous people rip past her on e-bikes on the Valley Trail at speeds she estimates to be close to 40 kilometres an hour. In some cases, the bikes carry multiple people, with no helmets in sight.
“I do have two young kids,” she said. “It’s just such an awful [example] for them to be watching all these [people], a lot of them teenagers, not wearing helmets and riding tandem, and my kids were like, ‘well, why do I have to wear a helmet? Can we ride on each other’s bikes?’ And so that’s been a challenge.”
But the bigger worry is that it’s only a matter of time before a bad accident sends someone to hospital.
Wagner is not alone in her observations, as several other Whistler residents have raised similar concerns with biking in the resort, particularly on Highway 99 and the Valley Trail, in recent letters to council.
In receiving some of said letters on June 6, mayor and council voiced agreement that more needs to occur to improve active transportation infrastructure in the resort—as well as the enforcement of provincial biking safety laws.
According to ICBC, wearing a helmet is the law in B.C., and cyclists can be fined for not wearing one.
Mayor Jack Crompton said the RMOW is listening to residents’ concerns, and is working to collect more data on the increased usage of biking and e-bikes in the municipality.
“We’re attentive to ensuring that the recreation opportunities in our community are safe, and we spend time and attention on that work. I completely understand the concerns,” Crompton said.
“I’m convinced we need to work hard to incorporate what is a tremendous opportunity for our town and our province. E-bikes have the capacity to transform the way we commute. That’s exciting. We’re focused on ensuring that transition is as safe as possible.”
In the view of Councillor Cathy Jewett, there needs to be more education in the resort on the rules and responsibilities of riding an e-bike, as the province’s Motor Vehicle Act limits the usage of those vehicles to people aged 16 and above. Jewett has noticed a growing number of parents buying e-bikes for their kids, she said at the June 6 meeting.
According to an RMOW communications official, the municipality itself does not regulate bike helmet use or e-bike user age, as the provincial government governs bikes under the Motor Vehicle Act. The Valley Trail technically has no speed limit, but the municipality expects users to operate on it appropriately and respectfully. Only Class-1 pedal assisted e-bikes are permitted on the Valley Trail.
“As for enforcement, the RMOW’s Bylaw Department has partnered with the RCMP on bike patrols,” the official said in an email, adding that the RCMP has reached out to Whistler Secondary about bike safety and helmet use.
Pique reached out to the RCMP for comment, but did not hear back before press deadline.
But the safety concerns aren’t limited to the Valley Trail.
In his own letter to council, Edgar Dearden highlighted the poor state of Highway 99 for cyclists, as high speed limits, faded or non-existent fog lines, and poorly cleared shoulders have made biking more dangerous (though street sweepers were spotted clearing the shoulders on Highway 99 on the morning of June 12).
Improving safety on the highway will help remove growing congestion from the Valley Trail by making it more efficient for commuters, Dearden said.
“I’m advocating that we use the highway for as much of the bicycle traffic as we can, because the highway is significantly shorter, point to point, between any two points in Whistler,” he said.
Coun. Arthur De Jong echoed the need for better active transportation infrastructure on the highway, as well as the need for more enforcement of the rules. De Jong pointed to his numerous years as a ski patroller at Whistler Blackcomb, where helmets and slower speed zones are now widely adopted thanks to stricter enforcement and the adoption of an Alpine Responsibility Code.
“With respect to the Valley Trail, education is a big piece … We need to lean much heavier on a ‘Biker’s Responsibility Code’ and, in some cases, enforce it,” De Jong said, adding that the municipality “cannot continue to stand on the sidelines and watch increasing risks” due to increasing speeds on e-bikes.
“We do have to take a level of action via education and sometimes enforcement, similar to this skier’s responsibility code, to make our trails safer and to encourage further use,” he added. “Because we will not even come close to meeting our climate targets without much greater bike use.”
