Eppie’s Great Race Foundation and County of Sacramento Improve Cyclist Safety

Sacramento County Regional Parks recently installed a dozen safer bollards along the American River Parkway with funding provided by Eppie’s Great Race Foundation. Bollards are posts located at trail crossings to prevent the entrance of unauthorized vehicles.

Since they could not be removed, the original bollards posed a safety concern for events such as The Great Race, a run-cycle-paddle triathlon benefiting Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services. The bollards were left upright during The Great Race because they were more hazardous when turned down– leaving a three-inch piece of metal protruding above the ground. This could have resulted in injury if not seen by a cyclist or runner.

“The new bollards are completely removable,” said Eppie Johnson, founder of The Great Race. “The safety of our event’s participants is always our primary concern. We are grateful to the Sacramento County Regional Parks for working with us to address this issue.”

The 12 new bollards cost a total of $2,500. They were installed at six locations where the American River Parkway trail crosses roads on The Great Race course, including River Bend Park (formerly Goethe Park), the entrance and exit roads to Sunrise parking lot, El Manto Drive, Rossmore Drive, and Harrington Drive.

The Great Race is scheduled for July 18.