Mayor Eric Adams wants electric bike riders to slow down. The mayor is proposing a 15 miles per hour speed limit for e-bikes, which currently can travel between 20 and 25 miles per hour. Adams announced the new rule on Thursday to renew pressure on the City Council to act on legislation he introduced last year that would create a Department of Sustainable Delivery to regulate delivery apps. The Council has yet to introduce the bill.
The proposed rule sets a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes, e-scooters, and pedal-assisted commercial bikes on city streets—a cap already applied to stand-up e-scooters and enforced in other parts of the world, including the European Union, according to a press release.
Adams said there have been growing concerns over the safety of shared spaces like parks and bike lanes, where many New Yorkers have been struck or had close calls with fast-moving e-bike and e-scooter riders.
The mayor has also ordered the police department to crack down on cyclists and scooter riders who run red lights or stop signs and ride against traffic or on sidewalks. Officers now issue criminal summonses to cyclists for traffic infractions rather than civil summonses.
“I have heard, over and over again, from New Yorkers about how their safety — and the safety of their children — has been put at risk due to speeding e-bikes and e-scooters, and today, our administration is saying enough is enough: We are implementing a new 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters that will make our streets safer,” Adams said.
“We’re proud of the work we’ve done to expand biking across the five boroughs, but we have an obligation to keep everyone safe. We are also calling on our partners in the City Council to pass our long-proposed legislation that will strengthen delivery worker safety — it’s time to protect delivery workers and all New Yorkers, once and for all.”
According to the mayor, the city is also exploring new safety measures in parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park, to better protect both e-bike riders and nearby pedestrians.
The speed-limit rule would require City Council approval to be implemented.
The proposed Department of Sustainable Delivery would give the city powers similar to those of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, requiring companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash to track delivery workers’ speeds and routes and ensure they follow traffic laws, according to Gothamist.
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