A proposed series of regulations for commercial bike tour groups has finally passed the County Council, albeit not without disagreements.
Bill 125 began life in January as a specific restriction upon bicycle tour operators from using Kohala Mountain Road and a roughly eight-mile stretch of Akoni Pule Highway for their businesses, but evolved over several meetings into a more comprehensive set of islandwide regulations on the whole bike tour industry.
The version of the bill that the council discussed Wednesday — and ultimately passed — requires a $500 first-time registration fee from bike tour operators and a $250 annual fee every subsequent year, and allows the council to prohibit the use of certain public highways for tours if public safety officials determine that tour groups on those roads present a threat to public safety.
Kohala Councilwoman Cindy Evans said her constituents have been very outspoken about their concerns regarding large bike groups on narrow and winding roads, but reassured residents that the bill as presented does nothing to prohibit individual, noncommercial bicyclists from using any public road.
Evans also noted that tour operators have been “not resistant” to the bill, which she said indicates the measure is not overly restrictive.
That said, the bill received some pushback from cyclists, who testified the bill sends a message that bicycling is not a welcomed activity on the island.
“The bill, as proposed, appears to attempt to solve a problem that only exists in the eyes of a few impatient and angry individuals,” wrote Leonard Bisel. “A ban on ‘tours’ would allow these same impatient drivers to believe they have the right to enforce the ‘tour’ ban on innocent cyclists riding singly or in a group through road rage incidents.”
Hilo Councilwoman Jenn Kagiwada evidently agreed, and attempted to amend the bill to completely remove the provision allowing the council to declare certain roads off-limits to tour groups.
“I think this is a total waste of county resources,” Kagiwada said, adding that she was disappointed by a lack of data about any traffic collisions caused by bike tour groups. Evans countered by saying that several constituents have shared anecdotes about bike-related crashes.
Kagiwada’s amendment failed to pass, and the council ultimately voted to pass the bill on second and final reading, with Kagiwada and Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball voting against it.