MARBLEHEAD — The town’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee discussed safety education for electric bike riders and reviewed road maintenance efforts at its Monday meeting.
Member David Kucharsky presented information from a recent Safe Routes to School webinar attended by Police Chief Dennis King that focused on the growing use of electric bikes and scooters and how communities can address safety concerns as the devices become more common.
During the presentation, Kucharsky shared data showing that 57% of trips in Massachusetts are less than three miles. Because Marblehead itself is only a few miles wide, he said many trips within town fall within that range.
That makes the community well-suited for alternatives to car travel, he said, particularly electric bikes, which can make short trips easier for riders who might otherwise rely on a vehicle.
Kucharsky noted that research shows new e-bike owners replace between 20% and 86% of their short car trips with bike trips, depending on usage patterns. If adopted widely, he said, that shift could help reduce traffic and make local transportation more efficient.
However, he said the growing variety of electric-powered devices on roads and paths has also created confusion about how they should be regulated.
To address that issue, a state special commission studying so-called “micro-mobility” devices has proposed a new classification system that would organize electric vehicles based primarily on their top speed.
Under the proposed framework, devices capable of traveling less than 20 miles per hour would be treated similarly to traditional bicycles and could generally be used in the same areas.
Devices capable of traveling between 20 and 30 miles per hour would fall into a new category that could require riders to be at least 16 years old and follow additional safety rules. Faster devices would face even stricter requirements, potentially including licensing, registration, and insurance.
Kucharsky said the 20-mile-per-hour threshold is an important safety benchmark.
“Twenty is plenty,” he said, repeating a phrase he said is meant to be an easy guideline for parents and riders to remember.
According to Kucharsky, devices capable of exceeding that speed should not be used by riders under 16 and likely should not be allowed on shared recreational paths such as rail trails.
Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland discussed how the proposed statewide guidelines could help clarify where different types of devices should be used, including bike lanes, shared-use paths, and regular roadways.
He also pointed to enforcement and education challenges as new electric devices continue to appear on streets and sidewalks.
In some cases riders are using vehicles that do not clearly fit existing legal definitions.
Committee members said the speed-based system proposed by the state could help address that problem by focusing less on the type of device and more on how fast it can travel.
Members also noted that education will likely be an important part of improving safety, particularly for younger riders and parents who may not fully understand the capabilities of newer electric bikes and scooters.
Department of Public Works Director Amy McHugh also shared updates on road repairs, noting that crews are currently focused on filling potholes across town.
McHugh said the department recently obtained a new hot box trailer to help crews perform pothole repairs more efficiently. Work will continue over the next one to two weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Residents who notice potholes are encouraged to report them by emailing the DPW highway division and including the street name and nearest house number so crews can locate the issue quickly.
McHugh also said the town recently met with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to review updated plans for improvements at the intersection of Smith and Pleasant streets.
The project is part of a larger MBTA effort to improve several intersections in Marblehead. The Smith and Pleasant location had previously been delayed while the town finalized design concepts for Pleasant Street.
The MBTA’s revised design now incorporates the town’s concept plans and will move forward for further review.
