The morning after a June 14 Progress story on e-bikes in Scottsdale, the city issued a press release.
“Scottsdale is taking a targeted approach to one of the fastest-growing public safety challenges facing communities across the Valley – how to safely balance the popularity of e-bikes with the growing number of pedestrians using parks, paths and public spaces,” according to city spokeswoman Holly Peralta.
As a response, she said the city plans to establish “designated pedestrian safety zones” in Chaparral Park, Mountain View Park and Scottsdale Ranch Park.
In these areas, the operation of e-bikes and other motorized devices will be prohibited.
“We’ve heard from residents who are concerned about the speed of some motorized devices in crowded public spaces,” Police Chief Joe LeDuc said.
“This gives us a straightforward solution that is easy for park users to understand and practical for officers to enforce. In high-pedestrian areas, we need clear expectations that help prevent injuries before they occur.”
According to Peralta, the new zones hope to “reduce conflicts in areas where families, children, walkers and riders frequently share the same space.”
Peralta noted “Scottsdale has received several concerns from residents about excessive speeds, near misses and safety risks involving e-bikes and other motorized devices in crowded park areas.”
City staff identified the three parks above as “locations where pedestrian and rider interactions are most concentrated.”
Under the program, designated safety zones will be clearly marked with signs and located in areas where pedestrian traffic is most concentrated. The city also plans to provide bicycle and e-bike parking near no-riding areas and support the rollout with public education and outreach efforts.
Last summer, City Council approved regulations prohibiting anyone under the age of 16 from operating class 3 e-bikes, electric motorcycles and similar high-speed devices on city property.
The ordinance also requires electric motorcycles operated on public roadways to be titled and registered with the state and requires retailers to provide educational materials and notifications to customers.
But lower-level e-bikes are not banned from parks and other city property.
According to LeDuc, the new pedestrian-only zones “allows the city to address safety concerns while maintaining appropriate access for traditional bicycles and lawful e-bike use throughout the rest of the park system.”
A city spokeswoman said the changes will happen “in the next 30 days.”