Bicyclists, skaters, and pedestrians on the Burke-Gilman Trail have seen an increase in Lake Forest Park police patrolling the trail by bike this summer.
Police on bikes monitoring the Burke-Gilman Trail have made 129 contacts with trail users, issued 46 stop sign violations, 22 helmet warnings, one speeding warning and 60 other types of warnings since June, said police chief Dennis Peterson.
Police are enforcing the trail’s 15 miles per hour speed limit, the stop and yield signs, the requirement to let people know when passing and the Lake Forest Park regulation requiring bicyclists to wear helmets. There is a $67 fine for violating these laws.
“We’ve been out enforcing the trail and reports are coming back that officers are seeing more compliance,” Peterson said.
“While nobody likes receiving a ticket, the ones who have been issued tickets have not been abusive and are accepting the fact.”
Bike patrol was started two weeks earlier than last summer because of increased use of the Burke-Gilman and residential concerns about stop signs along the trail being ignored by trail users.
The stop signs and yield signs on the Burke-Gilman Trail in Lake Forest Park are there to warn trail users of blind driveways that are the only access to the homes below the trail on the water front.
Cyclists, however, have complained about the stop signs saying they are not in sync with the rest of the trail.
About 50 homeowners and a few bicyclists turned up at a community meeting held in May at Third Place Commons to discuss possible changes to the trail in Lake Forest Park. Lake Forest Park’s section of the trail is the only portion where the trail weaves to slow down trail users, speed limit signs are posted at 10 and 15 miles per hour and there are stop signs by homeowner driveways. Homeowners dominated the meeting, arguing against the county removing the stop signs.
At that meeting County Council member Carolyn Edmonds said the stop 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.
“Our whole intent is to have compliance on the trail and not have to give out tickets,” said Peterson.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
