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Committee discusses e-bikes, e-scooters on multiuse Greenway; enforcement and speed concerns dominate
Summary
Steering committee members and state staff reviewed the Naugatuck River Greenway design and management guide’s approach to e-bikes and e-scooters, emphasizing safety, enforcement challenges and differences among park, trail and road contexts. DEEP and local staff said labeling, age limits and enforceability remain open issues.
Ristam Malaka, co-chair of the Naugatuck River Greenway Steering Committee, opened an hour-long discussion about whether the committee should take a position on legislation and local policy for e-bikes and e-scooters on multiuse trail sections.
Aaron Budris, NVCOG staff, described guidance in the committee’s Naugatuck River Greenway design and management guide: the document weighs pros and cons, emphasizes safe use and recommended a 15 mph speed limit on multiuse paved segments. "We leaned a little bit more toward regulating the proper use of ebikes and the activities themselves rather than the bikes," Budris said, noting enforcement on open trails is difficult.
Jack Walsh, co-chair for Derby, and other municipal staff described local speed guidance in their towns and growing commercial uses, including delivery bicycles. Walsh said some trails are seeing larger, faster cycles and even gasoline motorcycles in isolated incidents, and called safety the main concern.
Kim (DEEP) said state staff are actively reviewing legislation and classifications and are tracking safety data. She said the agency is monitoring age and classification issues and noted recent media reporting on injuries: "there is an interesting article that came out, I think in the Hartford Courant about increase in injuries that we're seeing," she said. Kim added that manufacturers are required under new law to label e-bike classifications but enforcement is hampered when equipment is modified.
Several participants said speed — not power source — is the practical differentiator for trail safety. Municipal staff and DEEP staff urged a toolbox of responses: updated signage, consistent rules across town lines, targeted enforcement where possible and public education campaigns. The committee emphasized that rules should be consistent along connected sections so users do not encounter different regulations when crossing municipal boundaries.
Ending: The committee agreed to keep the topic on future agendas and to coordinate with DEEP and municipal police to develop consistent guidance; no regulatory action or vote was taken at the meeting.
