Walkers and runners are becoming overwhelmed by tires on numerous varieties of motorized vehicles along park paths and municipal sidewalks.

City and village streets are also becoming the sites of a higher volume of the unlicensed recreational-type vehicles.

It is leading to a convergence of motorized transportation options and the fear is it could ultimately lead to injury or worse.

“It’s a nuisance more than anything,” Bradley Police Chief Don Barber recently noted. But, he cautioned, there will be a time when a motorist operating a car meets head on with a youngster operating an electric scooter or an e-bike.

Barber said there have been reports of some issues with these devices on the paved Perry Farm trails as well as some residential neighborhoods.

He said some of these vehicle operators are also driving after the sun goes down, meaning they are extremely hard to see.

“There are some problem areas. Combined by the fact that young people are driving them,” Barber said, meaning inexperienced and immature operators.

“Everyone wants the freedom to go places. But these are not allowed on streets nor sidewalks,” he said.

But those are the two places those transportation options are most often found.

Pedal bikes are allowed on streets. However, the bike operator must obey the rules of the road just like a motorist. That means, Barber said, bikes must stop at stop signs and obey traffic signals.

Motorized low-speed bikes, per state law, are not allowed to be operated by anyone under the age of 16. They are also not allowed to travel faster than 20 mph on any street. These vehicles are banned from sidewalks.

In addition, low-speed scooters are for operators 18 years and older.

In short, youthful drivers, meaning children, are not to be operating these devices on streets or sidewalks.

All of that being said, these vehicles are becoming a greater concern in many communities, noted Bradley Police Lt. Phil Trudeau.

Trudeau said the operation of these vehicles outside any traffic regulations is becoming dangerous with many “close calls” being reported.

“Today, enforcing these laws and ordinances would not be a popular move, but our concern, and presumably should be the concern of the public, is that some tragedy is going to occur, and it’ll most likely be a child who is injured,” he said.

Then, Trudeau said, there will be an outcry as to why these restrictions were not being enforced. “It’s the perfect paradox.”

Prohibited at The Grove

In the $18-million Bourbonnais Grove setting, the village has clearly marked scooters and motorized bikes are prohibited. The posted signs, however, have not kept these enthusiasts out of the area.

Bourbonnais Police Chief Dave Morefield said police continue to enforce traffic laws regarding these vehicles. He said as summer breaks have begun, there will certainly be more of these devices in areas they should not be.

He said there has been one accident with a scooter versus vehicle. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Morefield hopes parents step to the front to keep children off the roads.

Manteno is also experiencing problems. The village does not have any laws aimed at these traffic issues. Manteno Chief Al Swinford said Illinois laws, however, are being enforced.

“So it’s like overnight every kid in town had one. It wasn’t a problem before when there was one here, one there, nobody cared,” Swinford said. “And then all of a sudden you’re seeing a group of 10 of them fly down the street.”

Swinford said in Manteno they allow them on sidewalks. They would rather not see them there, but the sidewalk is better than a busy street, he said.

Swinford said the department held a “scooter rodeo” last year in an attempt to train those using them. As sunny skies and warm temperatures return, Swinford acknowledged so will these devices.

Kankakee had a growing problem about three to four years ago with mainly underage drivers motoring along city streets – often on main corridors – with pint-sized motorcycle-type vehicles.

The problem became so serious that Kankakee police began stopping these drivers and ticketing their parents for being on the streets with their vehicles.

The city also impounded the smaller motorized, two-, three- or four-wheel vehicles.

Kankakee Police Chief Chris Kidwell said since those steps, the problem – while not entirely eliminated – has been greatly reduced.

“It’s nothing like it was a few years ago,” Kidwell said. “The ordinance has worked quite well. ... Things are quite a bit better.”

There may be a need for similar action in neighboring towns.

Issues on Perry Farm trails

Mike O’Shea, executive director of the Bourbonnais Township Park District, noted late last week that people on Perry Farm trails are encountering these vehicles and they are not pleased their walk through nature is being upset.

O’Shea has sought increased park drive-throughs by Bradley police, but that becomes such a hit or miss occurrence when it relates to one of these vehicles actually being on site.

And he notes, Bradley police have plenty of residential and commercial streets to watch over, as well.

O’Shea would like these operators to take their travels somewhere else. He notes there are no current rules prohibiting them. He also notes the paths do have some signs stating there is a 10 mph speed limit.

The posted speed limit seems to indicate motorized vehicles are expected to be on the asphalted paths.

Like Barber, he fears one day a motorized vehicle will collide with a walker or jogger.

“There have been no accidents yet. Knock on wood,” he said. “But people do need to get out of the way of them. It’s a nuisance. People walk out here to be at peace.”

He said the time may soon be approaching where park board commissioners will need to address this.

“We know police have other worries other than going down our paths. This is an ongoing subject. We will have to figure out what would be best.”

Journal reporter Jeff Bonty contributed to this story.