Wilkes‑Barre council weighs options to regulate e‑bikes and scooters; enforcement limits under state law cited

Council members discussed options to restrict electric scooters and low‑speed electric bikes on Sept. 23, focusing on sidewalk safety in downtown business districts and enforcement hurdles under state law.

Councilman Ballisco asked whether the city could keep scooters off sidewalks and require use of streets so police could enforce motor‑vehicle rules. City staff said state law already regulates many aspects of personal mobility devices and that some devices are limited to private property. The staff briefing noted that devices with gas or electric motors above a certain speed class are not permitted on roads or sidewalks.

“There's already the state already regulated a lot of that for us. It's just some of those that are on that outlier kind of thing,” a staff member said, describing regulation as largely in state statute and enforcement as the practical challenge. Staff agreed they could draft an ordinance focused on business districts to restrict sidewalk use, where municipalities have more authority.

Why it matters: Councilors framed the issue as a pedestrian‑safety concern in commercial areas. A city ordinance could narrow permitted locations (for example, ban use on sidewalks in the downtown Diamond City Partnership area) but would not override state classifications of vehicle types.

What’s next: Staff said they will prepare language and clarification of current state rules for council review and circulate guidance to members by email. Council indicated the matter would likely return as a proposed ordinance for committee or future meeting discussion.