New Providence adopts e-bike rules, a $20 registration and phased enforcement

New Providence’s mayor and council on Nov. 11 adopted a package of ordinances aimed at tightening rules for electric bicycles and scooters, including a one-time $20 registration and restrictions on sidewalk riding and distracted operation.

Mayor Morgan opened the public hearing on Ordinance 2025-10, which amends chapter 257 (Vehicles and Traffic) to align local enforcement with the state’s classification of e-bikes. The borough will enforce class 1 and class 2 devices locally; class 3 vehicles — described by staff as higher-powered mopeds — must be licensed and registered at the state level, officials said.

Chief of Police (referred to in the transcript as "Chief") told the council the package seeks to reduce conflicts between e-bike users, pedestrians and motorists. "We're prohibiting the use of class one and class twos on sidewalks," the chief said, and added the ordinance will ban towing or tethering, the use of noise-cancelling headphones while operating, and use of a mobile device while riding.

Dan (the presenting staff member) summarized the registration plan behind Ordinance 2025-15 and a related fee ordinance, 2025-14. "The registration will capture make, model, classification, wattage and battery type," he said, and noted a specific question will flag whether the primary operator is a juvenile. Registrants will receive a high-visibility decal and a short printed summary of the borough ordinances. "The idea is education first," Dan said, describing a phased rollout: an education campaign, a warning phase, then citation-based enforcement targeted to begin in early spring.

Public commenters offered mixed views. Steve Carellis (35 Sycamore Ave.), who identified himself as a state chapter leader for a motors association and as vice chair of a Complete & Green Streets committee, asked how the borough will handle non-resident riders and whether confiscated devices can be returned. Staff said confiscations would be temporary and items would be returned to an identified owner or, if registered, immediately released if the owner is known.

Resident Tanner Tulle urged the council to limit registration to juveniles, saying universal registration could deter adult adoption of low-speed micromobility: "I support getting bikes off sidewalks ... but this is a deterrent for anyone who might want to get rid of their car," he said. Another commenter, Steve Kles, noted state bills under consideration that include insurance requirements and asked the council to set clear compliance deadlines; officials reiterated the education-first approach and said they expect warnings before citations.

The registration fee was presented as $20 (one-time). Dan told the council the borough does not expect the program to be revenue-generating and that the initial purpose is safety information collection (including battery type for fire-safety concerns) and operator education. The registration process will require users to acknowledge they have viewed the relevant borough ordinances before submitting their application online.

Council members repeatedly framed the package as public-safety driven and said they preferred an education-first approach. The council adopted Ordinances 2025-10, 2025-14 and 2025-15 by roll call following the public hearing. The council also introduced Ordinance 2025-16, which prohibits e-bike and scooter use on turf, playgrounds and other park areas not designed for such vehicles; that ordinance was advanced as part of the package.

What happens next: staff will coordinate the education campaign with the Board of Education and the Union County Chiefs association; the borough plans a public information push over social media and printed leave-behinds tied to decal issuance. Enforcement is intended to begin with warnings and progress to citations after a compliance period in early spring.