What’s happening?
Township Director of Communications LeaAnn Petersen outlined a potential education strategy regarding the safe use of pathways in the township to board directors. However, multiple directors voiced concerns that none of the education materials depicted e-bikes or e-scooters.
Petersen said the reason the education materials did not depict motorized vehicles was due to the township’s existing prohibition of them on pathways.
“We would be sending out conflicting messaging, and I wouldn't want to do that from our department unless I was given specific direction,” Petersen said. “The challenge for us in doing that is that as soon as we are saying, ‘Here's a video on how to ride [e-bikes] safely,’ the assumption is that you ride it safely in your neighborhood and you can take it right to your pathway.”
The initial education plan proposed a four-phase approach that would last up to six months and involved working with young focus groups and continual analysis of incident data as messaging rolled out.
Phase 1: July-August
- Develop “campaign identity”
- Conduct focus group studies regarding content preferences
- Create digital media and safety infographics
- Drafting permanent signage
- Full-scale roll-out of education materials in print and online begins
- Longer, higher-quality videos and content aimed at children ages 13-15
- Weekly content posting
- Hosting in-person education events
- Work with school districts, homeowner associations for further outreach
- Tweaking messaging based on successful campaigns
- Analytics of the community and engagement
- Feedback sessions with focus groups
- Review incident monitoring data
“There's problems that exist, but the overwhelming problem that's existing right now is the e-scooters and the bikes. ... I don't see it really being addressed in anything here,” Bailey said. “It's beautiful, respect the pathway is beautiful, trust me, but we [have] to address the elephant in the room.”
The debate
Board members remained solidly divided on the underlying issue of how to manage the use of e-bikes as a whole in the township.
“We need to decide as a board number one, what is the rule; and then wrap the messaging around the rule,” board director Cindy Heiser said.
Board director Linda Nelson said she wanted a town hall held with not just the township staff and board, but also local law enforcement and county officials to gain a full understanding of the best course of action.
“We have to be very realistic with what is going on, and I think we all need to hear that,” Nelson said. “Get EMS, get the sheriff, get the commissioner, get whoever else is involved, and get everybody to hear it at the same time.”
However, board director Shelley Sekula-Gibbs remained firm on her stance that e-bikes and related devices needed to remain banned in the township, arguing against any education directed at the safe use of e-bikes.
“The facts of the law that we have in place are they're prohibited. So that's the dichotomy of what your argument is,” Seukla-Gibbs said. “So when we say ‘don't run along the swimming pool,’ you don't educate [children] how to run safely along the swimming pool. That's what you're trying to ask us to do and I don't think that's practical or reasonable.”
Board director Craig Eissler said he felt the board should at least begin with some form of education regarding regular bikes and scooters on pathways.
“This isn't immediately addressing electric vehicles, but I think this kind of messaging does need to be out there in general because ... even runners and bicyclists have forgotten these fundamental truths,” Eissler said.
Stay tuned
The board agreed to hold a special meeting in the next month involving local community leaders and county officials regarding how to address the use of e-bikes in the community.
“Bottom line is, they're using them right now,” Bailey said. “So you can put your head in the sand and say, ‘They're not supposed to be in the pathway.’ Are they on the pathway? They're on the pathway.”
