Queen Creek council weighs emergency action for e-bike safety

To head off an expected increase in e-bike use by teens during summer, town staff is asking the Queen Creek Town Council to approve an emergency ordinance update to create a safer environment for riders and residents.

The council on Wednesday will vote on whether to prohibit the use of e-bicycles and other motorized devices in town parks, establish a specific process for impoundment, lower speeds on sidewalks, multiuse pathways/trails and parking lots, and require hands-free operation of phones and other cellular devices by riders.

The request comes after the Queen Creek Police Department kicked off a public awareness program to promote e-bike safety.

While other Valley towns are just starting to grapple with e-bike use, Queen Creek expanded its permitted use as part of an ordinance adopted into town code in 2023. Since then, the town has experienced a “noticeable increase in community concerns related to electric bicycles and other motorized devices, particularly in parks, sidewalks, trails, parking lots and other shared-use areas,” according to a staff report.

“Complaints and calls are increasing, parks and sidewalks have become high-conflict areas, and youth ride-outs and social media coordination create operational and safety concerns,” the report continued.

From the first quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of this year, the Queen Creek Police Department reported a 94% increase in juvenile disturbances and e-bike-related calls for service.

From January 2025 to April 2026, QCPD reports there were 1,834 calls for service regarding juvenile disturbances, including those involving e-bikes. From Jan. 1 through April, an estimated 20 e-bikes were impounded.

“This increase reflects a broader pattern of resident concerns involving high-speed riding, wheel lifting, operation through parks and parking lots, near collisions, aggressive conduct after confrontation, and families leaving public spaces because they do not feel safe,” the report stated.

The proposed update prohibits the use of e-bikes and motorized devices in town parks with the exception of designated roads and parking lots for entrance and exit only. If an operator wants to take their e-bike to an area of a park where use is permitted, such at the pump park at Mansel Carter Oasis Park, they would be required to walk or carry it to the location.

The proposed update would also impose a 15 mph speed limit for devices authorized to operate on sidewalks, multiuse pathways, trails and parking lots, one of the areas of most concern, officials said.

The third proposed update would set up a process for impounding and releasing e-bikes and other motorized devices by police in cases of unsafe conduct.

Seizure would not be authorized for minor technical equipment violations or in a group context if there is no unsafe conduct.

The final proposed update would require hands-free operation of a phone or cellular device while operating an e-bike other motorized device on town property.

The council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m., May 20 at Community Chambers, 20727 E Civic Parkway.

Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.