HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Last week, the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District Board announced it would enforce a rule barring bicycles from the gravel paths that encircle Ritter Park and extend to Memorial Park.
Park officials say the decision is “strictly a safety issue.” They also note that the rule regarding bikes has been on the books for years.
“We’ve had many calls about people being almost hit by the e-bikes,” GHPRD Executive Director Kathy McKenna told WSAZ. “We have had instances where people have been hit by the e-bikes. I had a gentleman a while ago, who was hit at night while he was out walking his dogs. He could hear the bike, but it was moving at such a speed that he couldn’t get out of the way fast enough. And his dog required stitches.”
People at the park agree that there are safety issues, especially with the electric bikes and scooters.
“They just go too fast,” said Elmo Legg, who was in the park with a bicycle with his grandson. “I mean, the e-bikes, some of them, I mean, some of them go 40 miles an hour… It’s 20 miles an hour on this street. In here, they’re just flying.”
McKenna told WSAZ the district is working to put up signs around the gravel path, replacing old signs that enforced the rule that have deteriorated and been removed.
“Having signage up, which we will be working on this week, will allow at least users of the park to point to a sign and say hey bikes aren’t allowed in here,” she said. “Or if police enforcement is needed, the police will have a sign that says hey this isn’t allowed, and you’re not supposed to be here, you need to move on.”
McKenna said the District will rely mostly on people enforcing the rules themselves, and asked parkgoers to use “common sense.”
Bikes, electric bikes, and electric scooters will still be allowed on the concrete paths inside the park, just not on the gravel paths.
The rule will not apply to things like wheelchairs, strollers, or wheeled coolers and wagons; those items will still be allowed on the gravel paths.
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