$50 per year bicycle registration fee bill meets heavy opposition in New Hampshire

A proposal in the New Hampshire Legislature to charge a $50 annual registration fee for bicyclists in order to use state-owned paths, trails and roadways is proving so unpopular that even the bill's sponsor is backpedaling. 

"All bicycles and electric bicycles, if operated on a public way shall be registered with the division of motor vehicles," the bill states. It says any bike riders who are not registered could face a fine of $100 per violation.

On the New Hampshire House of Representatives website, nearly 14,000 people have registered their opposition to the measure. Just 39 support it, as of Tuesday evening.

Republican Rep. Tom Walsh from Hooksett, who sponsored the bill, testified Tuesday before the House Transportation Committee.

"I don't see the bill moving forward," Walsh said, adding that the $50 amount was supposed to be a "placeholder" until it could be determined what a reasonable fee would be.

Walsh said he brought the "flawed" bill to committee because he wanted to start a conversation about paying for bike infrastructure as lawmakers consider toll hikes and other fee increases for car owners. He noted that ATV and snowmobile owners have to pay a fee to operate their vehicles on state trails.

"This was a genuine attempt at fair funding," Walsh said. "I still believe that user fees are the best way to do that. If you want to use nice things, help us pay for these nice things."  

Democratic Rep. Timothy Horgan of Durham called the bill an "extremely bad idea" and said rail trails are used heavily by pedestrians as well.

"Are we going to start handing out stickers on our walking shoes to use the rail trails?" he asked. "Where does this end?"

During public comment, Donna Cusack from Hudson called it a "horrible, horrible bill." 

"If I have to pay a fee to ride on a rail trail, I'll put my bike on the back of my car and drive 5 miles across the border and I'll start driving on the Massachusetts rail trails where I don't have to pay a fee," she said.

Craig Rennie, the chief supervisor of the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails who did not take a position on the bill, said there are 320 miles of state-owned rail trails. He said their maintenance is funded with registration fees for snowmobiles and ATVs, as well as some federal grants and donations.

"If we had more funding for rail trail management, that would help with developing future trails," he said.