As trail advocacy and trail building are reaching all time highs across the country, a new House Bill in Idaho brings up an interesting question: How many riders would pay for a license to ride? OK, OK, calm down. Maybe not a license to ride, but a license plate for your car. A plate that would generate a certain dollar amount per sale that would directly fund new trail creation, existing trail maintenance, and trail expansion. The idea is so simple it makes you wonder why more states haven’t adopted it already. You, an avid mountain biker, buy a mountain biking vanity plate. The premium charge over the standard plate goes directly to any trail building organization who applies for funding. Ultimately, you, the rider are rewarded with new trail or better trail to ride!
Hit more to read the only catch to the bill…
The only catch, if you can call it one, is that the funds generated by the sales of the license plates may only be used on multi-access trail. Hikers, equestrians, and off road vehicles may all stand to benefit from the trail building funds. The Idea was championed by Geoff Baker – a mountain biker, Boise resident, and local MTB club member. Baker just happens to be a board member of the South West Idaho Mountain Biking Association, although he states the idea was all his. For the state of Idaho, the proposed idea couldn’t have come at a better time as the state’s Parks and Recreations Department is facing a 4.5 million dollar budget cut. Baker was able to enlist the help of Representative Brian Cronin(D), who agreed to work for free to get the bill through the House. So far the Transportation Committee for the Idaho State House voted almost unanimously on Feb. 12th to send house bill 486 to the Full House. The license plates would generate 25 dollars with the initial purchase and 15 dollars for each subsequent renewal.
