New Trail Rules

[ita]

Omaha's trail system, now open 24 hours a day, allows electronic scooters, e-bikes

Reece Ristau
Omaha’s trail system will now be open to cyclists, walkers and other trail users 24 hours a day.

In another update, electric scooters and all classes of electric bicycles, known as e-bikes, are now allowed on the trails.

Those were among the notable changes to the rules of the city’s parks system approved unanimously this week by the Omaha City Council.

A comprehensive review of park rules has been one of the first major projects undertaken by Matt Kalcevich, who in December took over as director of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Public Property Department.

Allowing 24/7 access to the trails was not part of the rules proposal that went before the council last month. But after feedback from transportation activists, including groups Bike Walk Nebraska and Mode Shift Omaha, Kalcevich and his team went back to the drawing board.

[Busguy2010]

That'll be interesting. I have always used the trails 24/7 anyway, but now I don't have to worry about getting caught. Would be nice if they could at least extend hours at the lakes to midnight. As the trails begin and end at parks, and some others along the way, wouldn't you technically be in a park after hours?

[nebraska]

That'll be interesting. I have always used the trails 24/7 anyway, but now I don't have to worry about getting caught. Would be nice if they could at least extend hours at the lakes to midnight. As the trails begin and end at parks, and some others along the way, wouldn't you technically be in a park after hours?

The idea is to redefine trails as transportation in addition to recreation. Lakes, for example, would be recreation. A well-defined trail system allows for people to use the trails as a transportation mode. This is important as our city does such a poor job at protecting pedestrians along streets. The revised park rules allows for eScooters and eBikes on trails as another step in this direction.

[Busguy2010]

I still hate the e scooters. There have been a pair of them sitting at the corner of 49th & Cuming for like 2 to 3 weeks.