As electric bikes, scooters and high-powered “e-motos” become increasingly common across central Iowa, metro cities are moving to update local ordinances in an effort to improve safety on trails, sidewalks and streets.The effort comes as police report more crashes involving the devices.”Last year we had three crashes that involved an e-bike,” Clive police Chief Mark Rehberg said. “In the last eight days, I’ve had three crashes that involved either e-motos, bigger electric scooters. And they’ve all been pretty serious injuries. They’ve resulted in broken bones all three times.”Rehberg said some of the vehicles officers are seeing today bear little resemblance to traditional bicycles.One electric scooter involved in a recent crash had a 6,000-watt motor, strong enough to propel a rider up to 65 miles per hour. By comparison, Iowa law generally classifies low-speed electric bicycles as having motors of no more than 750 watts. “It’s the size of them, the size of the motors, the speeds that they go,” Rehberg said. “You’ve got eight and nine and 10 and 11-year-old kids that are out riding these things.”A regional effortClive is not alone.Ankeny recently adopted an ordinance regulating e-bikes and other motorized devices after residents raised concerns about trail etiquette and unsafe riding behavior, particularly involving e-motos. Violations there can result in misdemeanor charges.Waukee is also considering a similar ordinance and is expected to revisit the issue in June.According to Rehberg, city leaders have intentionally worked together to create a regional approach.”We wanted to start from that concept of a regional approach and have rules that were similar and consistent from community to community,” Rehberg said. “So as you would pass through town and ride on these different trails, you would have similar rules in each community.”Rehberg said Windsor Heights and other metro communities are also monitoring the issue and could eventually adopt similar regulations.What Clive’s ordinance would doThe proposal would completely replace Clive’s previous bicycle ordinance, which city officials say had not been updated in years and referenced older e-bike standards.Instead of focusing solely on bicycles, the new ordinance would regulate a broader category of personal transportation devices, including:E-bikesScootersSkateboardsElectric scootersOther emerging mobility devicesThe proposal would:Establish a 20 mph speed limit on trailsRequire lights and other safety equipmentRequire riders to follow traffic lawsRequire audible warnings when passing pedestrians when practicalCreate rules governing where devices can be operatedRestrict higher-powered e-motos and mopeds from sidewalks and trailsClarify when state licensing, registration and insurance requirements applyCity officials say the goal is not to prohibit e-bikes. It’s simply to make it so that they share the pavement.The proposal also includes a lengthy education component. Rehberg said the department plans to work with schools, bike shops and community groups before beginning meaningful enforcement.Why the ordinance was delayedWhile Clive leaders broadly support updating the city’s rules, the ordinance hit a temporary pause Wednesday night.Council members voted to table the second reading after cycling advocates raised concerns about portions of the draft language.Alex Rice, executive director of the Street Collective, told city leaders at the ordinance’s first reading that she supports the overall effort but believes portions need clarification.”My reading of the ordinance still seems to show that it would prohibit bikes from streets, so this might just be a clean-up in the language that needs to happen,” Rice told the council.Rice also questioned whether a blanket 20 mph trail speed limit makes sense on every trail segment, noting that cyclists can naturally exceed that speed on downhill portions of the Raccoon River Valley Trail.Despite those concerns, Rice praised the city’s approach and said Clive appears closer to a workable ordinance than some neighboring communities.Rehberg told council members the city never intended to restrict where traditional bicyclists could ride and said bicycles were specifically carved out from portions of the ordinance that apply to other devices.He said the city plans to continue working with the Street Collective, Iowa Bicycle Coalition and other stakeholders before bringing the ordinance back for consideration.”We want to make sure we get it right,” Rehberg said. “Wording matters.”
CLIVE, Iowa —
As electric bikes, scooters and high-powered “e-motos” become increasingly common across central Iowa, metro cities are moving to update local ordinances in an effort to improve safety on trails, sidewalks and streets.
The effort comes as police report more crashes involving the devices.
“Last year we had three crashes that involved an e-bike,” Clive police Chief Mark Rehberg said. “In the last eight days, I’ve had three crashes that involved either e-motos, bigger electric scooters. And they’ve all been pretty serious injuries. They’ve resulted in broken bones all three times.”
Rehberg said some of the vehicles officers are seeing today bear little resemblance to traditional bicycles.
One electric scooter involved in a recent crash had a 6,000-watt motor, strong enough to propel a rider up to 65 miles per hour. By comparison, Iowa law generally classifies low-speed electric bicycles as having motors of no more than 750 watts.
“It’s the size of them, the size of the motors, the speeds that they go,” Rehberg said. “You’ve got eight and nine and 10 and 11-year-old kids that are out riding these things.”
A regional effort
Clive is not alone.
Ankeny recently adopted an ordinance regulating e-bikes and other motorized devices after residents raised concerns about trail etiquette and unsafe riding behavior, particularly involving e-motos. Violations there can result in misdemeanor charges.
Waukee is also considering a similar ordinance and is expected to revisit the issue in June.
According to Rehberg, city leaders have intentionally worked together to create a regional approach.
“We wanted to start from that concept of a regional approach and have rules that were similar and consistent from community to community,” Rehberg said. “So as you would pass through town and ride on these different trails, you would have similar rules in each community.”
Rehberg said Windsor Heights and other metro communities are also monitoring the issue and could eventually adopt similar regulations.
What Clive’s ordinance would do
The proposal would completely replace Clive’s previous bicycle ordinance, which city officials say had not been updated in years and referenced older e-bike standards.
Instead of focusing solely on bicycles, the new ordinance would regulate a broader category of personal transportation devices, including:
E-bikesScootersSkateboardsElectric scootersOther emerging mobility devices
The proposal would:
Establish a 20 mph speed limit on trailsRequire lights and other safety equipmentRequire riders to follow traffic lawsRequire audible warnings when passing pedestrians when practicalCreate rules governing where devices can be operatedRestrict higher-powered e-motos and mopeds from sidewalks and trailsClarify when state licensing, registration and insurance requirements apply
City officials say the goal is not to prohibit e-bikes. It’s simply to make it so that they share the pavement.
The proposal also includes a lengthy education component. Rehberg said the department plans to work with schools, bike shops and community groups before beginning meaningful enforcement.
Why the ordinance was delayed
While Clive leaders broadly support updating the city’s rules, the ordinance hit a temporary pause Wednesday night.
Council members voted to table the second reading after cycling advocates raised concerns about portions of the draft language.
Alex Rice, executive director of the Street Collective, told city leaders at the ordinance’s first reading that she supports the overall effort but believes portions need clarification.
“My reading of the ordinance still seems to show that it would prohibit bikes from streets, so this might just be a clean-up in the language that needs to happen,” Rice told the council.
Rice also questioned whether a blanket 20 mph trail speed limit makes sense on every trail segment, noting that cyclists can naturally exceed that speed on downhill portions of the Raccoon River Valley Trail.
Despite those concerns, Rice praised the city’s approach and said Clive appears closer to a workable ordinance than some neighboring communities.
Rehberg told council members the city never intended to restrict where traditional bicyclists could ride and said bicycles were specifically carved out from portions of the ordinance that apply to other devices.
He said the city plans to continue working with the Street Collective, Iowa Bicycle Coalition and other stakeholders before bringing the ordinance back for consideration.
“We want to make sure we get it right,” Rehberg said. “Wording matters.”