LAKE FOREST PARK — Bicyclists, skaters and walkers take note— the Lake Forest Park police department has started its summer bike patrol of the Burke-Gilman Trail.
The bike patrol was started two weeks earlier than last year because of increased use of the Burke-Gilman and residential concerns about stop signs along the trail being ignored by trail users.
“Our main job is safety on the trail,” said officer Dave Harkness. “We want to educate people to stop at the stop signs, and yield to foot traffic, and as a last option, we will be issuing citations.”
As the weather warms up, the trail gets more crowded, and “the portion of the trail that runs through Lake Forest Park is more wooded, so users need to be aware,” said officer Mike Harden.
The stop signs and yield signs are there to warn trail users of blind driveways that are the only access to the homes below the trail on the water front, he said.
Cyclists have complained about the stop signs, saying they are not in sync with the rest of the trail, but County Council member Carolyn Edmonds verified in a letter to the city last week that the signs will not be removed because it becomes a liability for the county if someone gets hurt there.
So Lake Forest Park police are trying to educate the public and enforce the signs.
“Most of the time, we will call out and say ‘please stop at the stop sign’ but we will give a citation if we have to,” Harden said.
Most injuries police have responded to have involved a car and a bicycle, Harkness said.
“A lot of times a bike is crossing the street against the signal or a car is turning right on red and doesn’t see the bike,” he said.
“People need to be aware of their surroundings and who is around and behind them,” Harkness said.
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