‘Our goal is to keep everyone safe’: Will County joins northern Illinois bike trail initiative

Will County is joining five northern Illinois forest preserve districts and two park districts for a comprehensive bike safety and education initiative.

The program will promote responsible riding and public safety, beginning in May to coincide with National Bike Month.

Those entities participating are the DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will County forest preserve districts and the Naperville and Fox Valley park districts.

“Our goal is to keep everyone safe while enjoying the trails,” Deputy Police Chief David Barrios Jr. for the Forest Preserve District of Will County said in a news release announcing the initiative. “By working together with other agencies and educating the public, we’re helping ensure that cyclists and other trail users can share these spaces responsibly all season long.”

During bike safety events, participants will receive information on a wide array of safety topics, including speed limits, yielding to other trail users, and understanding e-bike classifications and regulations, according to the forest preserve district.

Two bike safety days will be held in Will County in May:

• The kickoff event will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 2, at Centennial Trail – Schneider’s Passage in Romeoville. Adam’s Bike Shop in New Lenox will be in attendance to perform bike safety checks. 
• The second event will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 17, at Hickory Creek Preserve – Hickory Creek Junction Access in Frankfort Township. 

During the bike safety programs, Will County forest preserve district police officers will answer questions and provide bicycling safety advice for those who stop by, according to the forest district.

Forest district police officers also will provide information on e-bike safety. Will County forest preserves only allow Class 1 e-bikes that have electric motors lower than 750 watts, have a maximum speed of less than 20 mph and no throttle, according to the forest preserve district.

The bikes must have pedals, and e-bike riders must be 16 or older.

In addition to the bike safety events, forest preserve district police will perform additional trail patrols to reinforce the rules to make the paths safer.

The initiative with the other counties and park districts also will include trailside signage to reinforce key safety messages and remind riders of trail regulations, according to the forest preserve district.

The collaboration also will encourage participating agencies to align bicycle ordinances.