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Board discusses rail‑trail e‑bike and scooter safety; enforcement options limited by law
Summary
Board members and residents raised concerns about increasingly powerful e‑bikes and motorized scooters on the rail trail, noting enforcement limits on non‑roadway trails; police and staff will review state law and possible local responses.
A town rail‑trail board member urged the Town Board to consider changes to the municipal code to address faster, motorized bicycles and scooters on the rail trail, citing fatal collisions elsewhere and growing local complaints.
Speakers noted a range of devices—from low‑speed pedal‑assist models to high‑powered scooters—and said current town code reads as a general ban on motor vehicles but does not clearly distinguish the many e‑bike classes now in circulation. Police staff said they are attending training on e‑bike laws and acknowledged enforcement is legally and practically difficult on a trail that is not a public highway.
Board members discussed options such as signage that dismounts riders in high‑use areas, posting advisory speeds and exploring clarifications to the code, but police cautioned that speed enforcement and traffic radar are intended for highways and that a legal change would likely require state guidance or an extended local rule‑making process.
The board requested staff and police to pull together applicable state law and local code language to identify practical, enforceable measures and to report back at a future meeting.
