Gillian to call for limits on e

Riding bikes is a popular activity on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Mayor Jay Gillian plans to propose to City Council that e-bikes be banned from riding on the Boardwalk. Several residents have complained that the powered bikes travel much faster than most conventional bikes.

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OCEAN CITY — Among the persistent issues raised by residents at City Council meetings, concerns over the operation of battery-powered bicycles are almost certain to be raised.

On Thursday, a resident began talking about e-bikes on the Boardwalk during an emergency council meeting called in response to the huge crowds of teenagers on the Boardwalk over the weekend.

The speaker called for tougher controls on the bikes, which currently operate under the same rules as other bicycles.

A change may be on the way.

Later in the afternoon Thursday, during a news conference, Mayor Jay Gillian said he would recommend a change that would keep the bikes off the boards.

"At our next council meeting June 8, I also will be recommending an ordinance that will ban e-bikes from riding on the Boardwalk," Gillian said.

That was the only mention of the proposed change at the news conference, and later Gillian was not prepared to offer any further details. Reached on Friday morning, he said he’d be ready to talk soon.

"Not yet," he said.

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It will be up to the seven-member council whether to move forward with a change. Amending the city ordinance would require two votes, one to introduce the change and a second after a public hearing, held after the changes had been advertised.

In multiple cases, residents have said the e-bikes are more like motorcycles, traveling at high speeds in areas like the Boardwalk, which on summer mornings can be crowded with families riding bikes and surreys.

"They go 30 miles an hour," the resident said Thursday. "People bring their children out. You have some dude flying by 30 miles an hour. Something's going to happen."

He said many riders do not wear helmets.

The battery-powered motors in the bikes provide additional power when someone is pedaling, allowing riders to travel farther and go faster. Some can be operated with a throttle.

E-bikes had formerly been governed in the same way as mopeds, which fall under more lenient rules than motorcycles. In 2019, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation that categorized low-speed electric scooters and e-bikes in the same way as bicycles.

That means they can be operated on streets and bike paths throughout the state. In addition to governing where they can be ridden, the e-bikes do not require registration, insurance or a license.

"Electric bicycles and motorized scooters offer a fantastic alternative to cars and their use will serve to cut both emissions and congestion in our cities," Murphy said at the time. "As we seek to support New Jersey's Innovation economy, this bill will help encourage a true reimagining of urban commuting."

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Supporters of the change said the powered bikes would mean less emission and be more affordable for commuters. Many of the bikes retail at more than $1,000, which is more than many pedal-powered bikes but far cheaper than a car, and can offer a practical alternative for someone trying to get to work.

But the law is limited to bikes that operate at less than 20 mph. That's a fast pace for most experienced bike riders, and far, far faster than most people on a beach cruiser are likely to reach on a Boardwalk ride to the doughnut shop.

There are electric motorcycles, and other electric bikes with top speeds of 32 or up to 45 mph, but those technically fall under different classifications of vehicles. But it can be difficult to tell which are which at a glance, and some of the e-bikes look much the same as any other bicycle, but for an oversized bar.

Bikes can be ridden on the Ocean City Boardwalk until noon each day in the summer, with some exceptions such as during the baby parade Aug. 10. In New Jersey, those under 17 are required to wear a helmet while riding a bike, but that rule does not apply to the Boardwalk.

Contact Bill Barlow:

609-272-7290

[email protected]

Twitter @jerseynews_bill

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