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Waunakee board hears safety pleas, directs staff to research e-bike and e-scooter rules
Summary
After several residents described close calls and a child struck by an e-bike, the Waunakee Village Board directed staff and the village attorney to research municipal authority, examples from other communities and options including education, helmet promotion and regulatory limits.
Residents pressed the Waunakee Village Board on Sept. 12 to address the rising presence of electric bicycles, scooters and “e-dirt bikes” after a string of close calls and one reported collision.
“I’m here tonight with some deep concerns about the increase in ebike, e scooter, and e dirt bike… On Friday morning, our 12 year old son was hit by an ebike on his way to school,” said Ellen Bolt, who identified herself during the meeting’s public-comment intake. She described her son’s injuries as “scratches, bruising, and has had some pain” and urged the board to “consider some guidelines or regulations to ensure that everyone is safe.”
Other commenters recounted repeated near-misses and groups of young riders running stop signs. Mary Heinbecker, joining remotely, said she has seen “10, 11 years old” on electric bikes running stop signs and asked whether very young riders should be allowed on roads with motorized assistance.
Police leadership told the board enforcement and education are already underway but that local authority is limited in some respects. The police representative said the department has issued citations for motorized dirt bikes and has engaged in outreach, flyers and talks with riders and parents, but noted municipal citations may not apply to children under 12 and that many devices are marketed or modified to look pedal-equipped even when the electric motor is the primary propulsion.
Board members said they were concerned about safety but cautious about broad prohibitions that could unduly restrict responsible adult users or hinder accessible multimodal transportation. Several trustees favored beginning with education and helmet promotion; others suggested exploring age or training requirements modeled on boater-safety programs.
Village President Jill (presiding) summarized the discussion and directed staff and the village attorney to return with research on the village’s authority under state law, examples and draft options. Staff announced they expect to return with recommendations in about one to three meetings.
Next steps: staff and the village attorney will report back with an inventory of what nearby municipalities have done, legal limits on municipal regulation and options that pair education with enforceable standards. The board did not adopt an ordinance on Sept. 12.
