Brook Beal steps away from the Chandler City Hall podium June 11 after speaking. The Chandler City Council gave final approval to the city’s first set of e-bike regulations at the meeting.
In one of the latest efforts to cut down on the number of e-bike incidents along roadways, another East Valley city has finalized its regulations.
The Chandler City Council gave final approval June 11 to the city’s first ordinance that adds regulations for the use of electric bicycles by a 6-1 vote. The ordinance, which was adopted tentatively at a May 21 meeting, takes effect July 11 and has a heavy emphasis on rider and parent education.
Chandler did not have local e-bike regulations, a news release states, as it followed Arizona state law only, prior to adopting a set of regulations.
“Chandler has not experienced a high number of recorded e-bike crashes to date, but the city has received numerous complaints about high-speed e-bikes,” the release states.
The regulations in the ordinance, along with a robust public education plan, aim to alleviate some of those concerns, the release states.
Council member O.D. Harris was the lone “no” vote. Harris expressed concerns, during an April 9 work session on the ordinance, that age and e-bike speed regulations could complicate Chandler Police interactions with the public.
Harris voted in favor of preliminary approval of the ordinance May 21 when Council approved a 17-item consent agenda with a 6-0 vote.
Brook Beal, a south Chandler resident heavily focused on e-bike use, especially along Salt River Project canal banks there, has spoken about potential regulations and enforcement at Council meetings and work sessions dozens of times in recent years.
Beal said June 11 that he hopes line items for bicycle trail Chandler Police enforcement of regulations and accompanying public right-of-way cameras are in the city’s fiscal 2027 budget.
“I don’t think those should cost more than $20,000 in your $1.868 billion budget to have an officer patrol each trail once per day,” Beal said.
He said he also hopes the city regulation sign text and QR codes can be brought down from taller signs so more people can reach them.
“Ninety percent of the population can’t scan that code — pretty stupid,” Beal said at the meeting.
Mayor Kevin Hartke directed City Manager John Pombier to look into the details of e-bike trail sign placement and configuration and report back to Council.
Regulations were discussed and refined at a Council subcommittee on Oct. 7 of last year and at the April 9 Council work session.
Beal previously complained about the proposed new regulations — especially the 28 mph maximum speed and the sidewalk permissions for the slower e-bike classes.
The news release points out that no motorized vehicles, including e-bikes, are or were permitted on canal shared-use paths, such as the Paseo Trail and Western Canal Path.
The new regulations include:
-Helmets required for all e-bike riders younger than 18.
-Age 16 as the minimum to ride Class 3 e-bikes (the fastest class), along with a maximum speed of 28 mph.
-Class 3 e-bikes are prohibited on sidewalks, shared-use paths and in city parks.
-A maximum speed of 15 mph for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes on sidewalks, non-canal shared use paths and in city parks, including a 5 mph speed limit when passing pedestrians.
-A front light and rear red reflector are required on each e-bike when riding at night, consistent with existing state law.
Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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