JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, Nov. 18, Town Council passed an ordinance giving the Town of Jackson the authority to post and enforce e-bike speed limits.
The ordinance states that “no person shall operate a device on a pathway at a greater speed than the posted limit.” According to the staff report, stricter enforcement will better assist the Jackson Police Department and Municipal Judge’s Office in processing pathway citations for those riding too fast.
This fall, the Town has begun posting speed limit signs on the pathways. Executive Director of Friends of Pathways (FOP) Katherine Dowson told Buckrail that the e-bike speed limit is 15 mph on town pathways, with a reduced speed of 10 mph in the Garaman Park area.
“Friends of Pathways fully supports the Town’s diligence and efforts to improve Town pathway safety through speed limit enforcement,” Dowson said. “We see this as one of several tools for ensuring that the pathways remain a safe and comfortable space for all users, whether they are walking, pedal-biking or riding a class 1, 2 or 3 e-bike.”
According to Dowson, the bike lanes along Snow King Ave. and Willow St. are in accordance with the vehicle speed limit of 25 mph, since the bikes are on the road and not a pathway.
Dowson said that “bikes can go as fast as a slow car,” in this region of town.
Dowson added that the majority of Teton County’s 70 miles of pathways are not speed regulated. Additionally, while Town requires all those 18 years and younger to wear a helmet, Teton County does not enforce a helmet law. Dowson explained that because of different jurisdictions throughout the pathway network there is a lack of uniform regulations, such as speed limits.
“This can be confusing to pathway users,” Dowson said.
FOP has proposed a series of stakeholder meetings and community outreach events in February or March of 2025 to determine if changes need to be made to current e-bike regulations in Teton County, per the Town’s staff report.
