Midway City Council Considers Electric Bike Bylaw

Following the hospitalization of three teenage girls following an Aug. 26 electric bike accident on Main Street, the Midway City Council decided this week to tighten restrictions.

“We were going to talk about this before the accident last week. I think the accident just brought it to the forefront,” said city planner Katie Villani.

She told councilors that while they don’t have the power to lift restrictions the state has already placed on a relatively new form of popular transportation, they can vote to add more rules that would apply specifically to Midway. The conversation wasn’t about any specific ordinance, but rather a chance for councilors to direct staff on new codes they’d like to see.

In explaining the various classifications and state regulations regarding e-bikes, City Planner Katie Villani pointed out to the council that one provision of the state code — the rule requiring all occupants of motor vehicles to use only designated seating areas — could have potentially mitigated the effects of the recent accident if it were applied to e-bikes and properly enforced.

As an example of the type of restriction they could put in place, she said the City Council could create a restriction on e-bikes like what is expected of other passenger-carrying vehicle operators on Midway.

“We’re looking for clues,” she said.

Jeff Drury did not hesitate to offer his suggestions.

“If you’re under 18 and the vehicle has an engine, you have to wear a helmet, no matter where. If you’re riding on a road or a bike path that’s connected to a road, you have to have a learner’s permit or a driver’s license. If the vehicle has an engine, you have to know the rules of the road. If you’re riding on a sidewalk or a path in the city, something that has an engine, you have to be 14, you have to wear a helmet,” he said. “Boom, we’re done.”

Other councilors largely agreed, though Mayor Celeste Johnson said she did not want e-bikes on sidewalks.

“I would say the state is pretty close to where I would start,” said Councilman J.C. Simonsen. “The biggest problem we have is we can’t enforce anything right now. The mayor tried to tell them that. … But we have to enforce it.”

He wasn’t sure if it was necessary to meet state requirements.

“The only other thing I think we could talk about is the speed limit for an e-bike,” he said. “I’m not sure where to start. I mean, a bike with pedals can go pretty fast, too. Really, at the end of the day, it’s all a bit of a maturity thing.”

He said he’s happy that e-bikes can help people get out and exercise, and he doesn’t want to take away from their enjoyment. That’s why he’s been hesitant to implement age restrictions, as Park City did when community leaders decided only people 65 and older could use e-bikes on sidewalks and natural trails.

Drury said the problems he has seen come from cyclists under the age of 14 who do not understand how roads work and cannot make safe decisions.

Some councillors wondered whether a speed limit for e-bikes could be helpful, but Councillor Craig Simmons doubted it would be effective.

“You won’t be able to control their speed,” he said.

He mentioned that in the past, e-bike users have ignored people trying to restrict their use.

Other councillors believed that the legal regulation coupled with the possibility of imposing a fine would be enough to make people slow down.

Villani said the speed limit could be used as an enforcement tool against cyclists riding at unsafe speeds.

Johnson said she has seen young children on the trail causing walkers or joggers to jump out of the way because they couldn’t control their e-bikes. The age limit is critical, she said.

“And you can’t use your motorized device to go through the grass,” she said. “It destroys our parks. … You have to stay on the trail.”