Metro cities, including Des Moines, Grimes and Clive, are reminding people how to ride safely on trails and sidewalks in response to a surge in e-bike use.
Several cities in the state have updated their existing ordinances with more specific regulations for electric vehicles. But Des Moines and other participating cities are starting with an educational campaign to remind individuals of general safety guidelines when riding on trails and sidewalks.
Colby Fangman, senior park planner with Des Moines Parks and Recreation, said the main concern in Des Moines has been an increase in different kinds of electric vehicles on the market. An e-bike, e-moto or moped all have different levels of speed, he said, and it can be hard to tell the difference.
“Kiddo x, y, z says ‘Mom and dad, I really want this cool bicycle. It looks awesome.’ And then they get it and they don’t even realize what they’re giving them,” Fangman said.
E-motos, or electrical motorcycles, Fangman explained, are high powered devices that are more like a gas-powered motorcycle than an e-bike. He said in some cases e-motos can reach 75 mph. Fangman said he believes the issue is a lack of understanding in how different kinds of electric vehicles operate, which is where concerns for public safety come in.
“It’s one thing when you’re riding your e-moto dirt bike on your private property, just putting yourself at risk,” he said. “It’s totally another when you’re navigating a public recreational asset.”
The Ride Safe n’ Smart campaign focuses on safety rules. It reminds people to always look both ways when crossing an intersection or turning onto a trail, to be visible by wearing reflective gear at night and to slow down around other people. All six tips are on the city’s website, which also says content will be posted on social media, and be pushed out through community outreach efforts.
Fangman said Des Moines and other cities wanted to first take an educational approach to remind people how to ride safely in public spaces like trails, regardless of the type of vehicle.
“What’s more important is understanding that with the speed, with the power with the torque and acceleration, your onus to maintain control increases,” he said.
Fangman added that other trail users can help with the effort by educating each other and encouraging proper trail etiquette. He said new users might not be aware of common trail etiquette, like slowing down around others and making sure you’re visible at night.
“Unless they’re traveling with a tenured user, they may not know, you know, shout out 'on your left,' keep to your right, you need to maintain control of your device,” he explained.
Setting new rules for more powerful e-bikes
Des Moines has an existing ordinance that prohibits gas-powered motorcycles from trails and sidewalks, and the city limits e-bikes to 750 watts in those spaces.
The city is not currently planning to update the ordinance but other cities have, or are considering it.
Marion updated its ordinances to include speed limits of 10 mph on sidewalks and 20 mph on trails for e-bikes or e-scooters. It also prohibits gas-powered motorcycles or electric ones over 750 watts from the trails and sidewalks.
Waukee, which is participating in the Ride Safe n’ Smart campaign, is currently considering updating its city ordinance to define the differences between low-speed e-bikes and electric motorcycles. The city would also only allow e-bikes that reach 750 watts, or a certain speed, to operate on trails and sidewalks and prohibit any motorized vehicles.
Ankeny is another one of the cities participating in the safety campaign, and it just updated its ordinance. Ankeny Police Sergeant Trevor McGraw said the rise in e-motos has caused confusion about where these vehicles can operate. Ankeny's ordinance now makes it clear that electric motorcycles are prohibited from sidewalks, bike paths and trails. The city also require licensing and registration.
Electric scooters and low-speed e-bikes are limited to 20 mph in these spaces. Violations will result in a misdemeanor. McGraw said officers would enforce the speed limit by using LiDAR scanners or by watching distance markers to estimate someone's speed.
He said officers may patrol trails if they receive multiple complaints from the same area, but emphasized that they’re focusing on informing the public of the changes right now.
“The challenge that we run into, I think, is just the education component of, if you’re a parent allowing your child to ride an e-moto, understanding what that device actually is,” McGraw said.
The Ankeny Police Department has been getting regular complaints about e-moto use in their parks, McGraw said, and it's usually younger children riding them.
“A lot of folks aren’t realizing that they’re essentially handing their 12- or 10-year-old — it’s essentially the same as handing them the keys to a Honda Civic and letting them go play around with it,” he said.
McGraw said the key will be to understand the difference between an e-bike and an e-moto so the devices are being used appropriately.
