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Council hears enforcement, safety concerns over e-bikes, dirt bikes and ATVs in parks
Summary
Council members and witnesses described injuries, disorder and enforcement limits related to illegal e-bikes, dirt bikes and ATVs in parks; DPR said it emphasizes education and localized pilot enforcement while NYPD described targeted seizures on roadways and data-driven patrols to reduce park incidents.
Council members raised persistent concerns about electric bicycles, illegal dirt bikes and ATVs operating in city parks and greenways, asking both Parks and NYPD how rules are communicated and enforced and whether legislation or program changes are needed.
Commissioner Iris Rodriguez Rosa said DPR’s approach to the micro-mobility pilot has been to emphasize education before enforcement, including distributing translated flyers and coordinating with NYPD and FDNY on safety messaging tied to lithium-ion battery fire risks. DPR said the pilot for bikes and e-scooters continues through December 2025 and that enforcement is intended to follow education when voluntary compliance fails.
Council questions focused on how the department communicates where micro-mobility is permitted on greenways and on what PEP officers can and will enforce. DPR said it used pamphlets (translated into Spanish, Bengali, French and other languages) and public details to educate riders, and that PEP officers will prioritize education before issuing summonses.
NYPD witnesses described operational constraints for illegal dirt bikes and ATVs, saying pursuits across park terrain pose safety risks. The department said it focuses enforcement on roadways, bridges and tunnels to seize vehicles safely and uses intelligence to target car meets and organized ride-outs. NYPD also described surveillance tools — cameras, Argus systems, and limited drone deployments to respond to 911 calls — as part of its approach.
Public testimony and an online caller urged the council to consider legislative action banning e-bikes in parks (a public commenter referenced an Intro by a council member). Witnesses and council members also cited local examples — motorcycles racing on Juniper Valley Park fields, illegal vendors, and car gatherings adjacent to parks — as evidence of enforcement gaps and pressed for closer coordination, text-alert chains between community stakeholders and police, and more fixed post visibility.
Several council members said the presence of a uniformed vehicle or officer provides a strong deterrent; parks’ and NYPD’s witnesses described seasonal deployment adjustments and joint strategy meetings to address specific park conditions.
Ending: Agencies will provide additional data on pilot metrics, summons counts and enforcement results; council members signaled interest in considering legislative or budgetary steps if the pilot and interagency strategies do not reduce unsafe riding in parks.
