Pittsburgh-area suburbs are writing their own rulebooks for a vehicle that can look like a bicycle, move like a scooter and, in some cases, behave a lot more like a motorcycle. Across the region, local officials are tightening restrictions on e-bikes in parks and trails while state lawmakers debate whether Pennsylvania’s decade-old framework still fits the machines now crowding local roads.
At least seven municipalities surrounding Pittsburgh have passed or are considering ordinances targeting e-bike use on municipally owned property, according to Pittsburgh’s Public Source. The burst of local lawmaking reflects a collision between booming sales, safety complaints and a state vehicle code that does not clearly account for every high-powered electric ride now being sold online.
Pittsburgh Suburbs Are Building A Patchwork Of Rules
Pennsylvania’s 2014 law defines a legal pedalcycle with electric assist as a bike weighing less than 100 pounds, using a motor rated at no more than 750 watts and traveling no faster than 20 mph under motor power alone, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The law placed qualifying e-bikes largely in the same legal lane as bicycles, but it did not create the three-class system used in many other states.
Upper St. Clair and Bethel Park both passed e-bike ordinances in June, including helmet requirements for riders under 21. Upper St. Clair’s rules also allow a $100 fine for a first violation and ban e-motos from all municipally owned property, while Brentwood recently revised an older ordinance and now bars e-bikes on borough-owned property; Mt. Lebanon tabled a proposal Tuesday that would have capped e-bike speeds at 15 mph and allowed fines of up to $600 plus prosecution costs, as detailed by Public Source reporting.
Why Harrisburg Is Being Pulled Into The Debate
The local rules mostly focus on parks, trails and other property controlled by municipalities, leaving cities and townships with fewer options when the riding shifts onto public streets. Pennsylvania’s transportation guidance treats pedalcycles as vehicles, giving riders specific rights and responsibilities on roadways while also requiring them to follow traffic rules, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation…