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Committee debates e-bike rules for new Waterway Boulevard multiuse path; staff to add signage and return next month
Summary
Committee members discussed town-hall concerns about e-bikes on the new Waterway Boulevard path, state law distinctions (must have pedals and be 750 watts or less), and enforcement challenges; staff will add signage and bring the issue back next month for further consideration.
Isle of Palms officials raised safety and enforcement concerns on April 6 about e-bikes and other motorized vehicles on the new Waterway Boulevard multiuse path. The chief noted state law classifies most e-bikes as bicycles only if they have pedals and meet the wattage limit; vehicles without pedals that are powered by a motor do not qualify as e-bikes under state statute and instead are recreational motorized vehicles not authorized on sidewalks or multiuse paths.
Committee members discussed options including placing signage that prohibits golf carts and low-speed vehicles, considering an ordinance to prohibit bikes on sidewalks (which would push riders into the roadway), and exploring speed limits and enforcement mechanisms used in other municipalities. The chief recommended signage that states “no golf carts, no LSVs” and noted that enforcement of speed limits on bicycles can be operationally challenging.
Members agreed to keep the issue on the agenda and asked staff to place signage on the multiuse path while legal staff review whether targeted ordinance language or a path-specific speed limit would be feasible.
