The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) manages most of the Rio Grande Trail connecting Aspen to Glenwood Springs. Monday is the last day the public can weigh in on the most recent plan to maintain the trail.
The Recreational Trails Plan outlines what is allowed on the Rio Grande Trail. Dan Blankenship, RFTA’s CEO, says the new plan is pretty much the same as the old.
There is, however, some question over the electric bike, or e-bike, policy. Two kinds of e-bikes are currently allowed on the trail: classes one and two. Class one requires pedaling; class two has a throttle, and both can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.
Pitkin County manages the Rio Grande Trail from Emma to Aspen, and only allows class one e-bikes. Blankenship says RFTA aims to have a consistent policy for the whole trail to prevent confusion.
The last time the Recreational Trails Plan was updated was in 2005. The public can visit RFTA’s website to see the plan and can make comments via e-mail.
