Chandler residents, other stakeholders weigh in on who should regulate e-bikes

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

When Brook Beal stepped to the podium Feb. 26 to talk about e-bikes and other motorized vehicles using canal paths, he spoke on the same topic he’s brought to the Chandler City Council many times over the past year and a half.

In June of last year, Beal was granted scheduled time before council, calling for more Chandler Police patrols along SRP canals. Council member Christine Ellis, after calling police leadership, asked police if it was their conclusion the canal trails are safe, with the response being “Yes.”

Beal has been waging a sort of one-person battle to get motorized bikes off of SRP canal trails, insisting the risk of injury to riders and other trail users is high. He has spoken regularly on the subject since late 2024 at Council meetings and work sessions, pointing out last November that it was a month when, by his telling, a violent incident occurred involving a motorized vehicle on a trail.

“So to answer Ms. Ellis’ question now, in November, the answer would be, ‘no, not necessarily,’” Beal said.

The bikes aren’t cheap. Global Bikes, an East Valley bike shop with multiple locations, sells a Gazelle Eclipse C380-plus High city touring e-bike for a listed price of $6,400.

Still, e-bikes and other motorized scooters, mopeds and electric scooter remain popular in the Valley. The Mesa City Council approved an ordinance in January that permits Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, electric standup scooters and electric miniature scooters to operate within city parks, provided riders don’t exceed 5 miles per hour.

Gilbert Police reported a troubling shift in accident data. For the first time in 2024, juveniles were involved in more bike-vehicle collisions than adults, and attributed much of the trend to the popularity and speed of e-bikes.

Gilbert Police said there are concerns about electric motorcycles and several other classes of fast-moving two- or three-wheeled devices — not only in collisions, but also as an expensive gadget that becomes either a getaway vehicle or an object of crime itself.

SRP canals

In many Valley cities, issues around e-bikes have less to do with parks or even busy streets, but the ditch and canal banks and trails where motorized vehicles aren’t permitted.

On March 3, an 18-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy were charged with several crimes after police say they stopped a victim — a 12-year-old boy — near a Salt River Project canal trail area east of Greenfield Junior High School and took his e-bike at gunpoint Feb. 6.

The Salt River Project doesn’t specifically attempt to bar use of powered vehicles on its canal paths on its website, but highly discourages it and defers to local signs.

Under a list that’s introduced with “Canals can be very dangerous, so please follow these canal safety tips to avoid drowning or injury,” there’s an item that reads “Don’t drive motorized vehicles, including electric bikes and scooters, on the canal banks.”
Patty Likens, spokesperson for SRP, said the utility is “responsible for the operation and maintenance of property owned by the United States.”

As part of that responsibility, Likens said, SRP must ensure federal Salt River Reclamation Project properties, such as the 131 miles of canals SRP manages. Those canals and adjacent access roads must remain open and accessible for the continued operation and maintenance of SRP power and irrigation facilities, she said.

“Federal regulations prohibit the use of motorized vehicles, including e-bikes along Salt River Reclamation Project property,” she said.

She said she’s not aware of any SRP disagreements over canal-area jurisdiction as the canal banks are federal land. SRP has agreements on file with each municipality for both special events, such as the annual City of Chandler Bike Ride, along with agreements to make utility adjustments, such as installing, removing or maintaining power lines.

Likens said despite Mesa’s recent change, she’s not aware of any proposals to either allow or further discourage or prevent e-bikes from being on canal paths.

“We are not aware of the federal government having any proposed changes in the works to the prohibition on motorized vehicles,” Likens said.

Chandler’s current code — which is not under any publicized review or proposal for changes — calls for no motorized bikes “in any city parking structure or park, except for use on public roadways within a park, designated hike/bike trails or designated city parking for stand-up electric mini-scooters or shared mobility devices.”

Such bikes also have a 35 mph speed limit on four-or-more-lanes streets without a bicycle lane and are not to be operated in Chandler by any child younger than 13.

City vs. state regulation

Arizona has a patchwork quilt of city, town, county and a smattering of state law restrictions on e-bikes.
Marc Lamber, a trial attorney and personal injury group chair, recently wrote an opinion piece that urged state lawmakers to take up e-bike safety, saying it’s not best handled by cities; the only way to consolidate so many local restrictions is to codify rules at the state level.

Rick Murray, president of the Arizona Chapter of the National Safety Council, agrees, though he sees a patchwork quilt when it comes to educate parents and the general public about e-bikes.

“Our organization believes in education and other training for drivers, and our programming reflects that,” Murray said. “We think states could require training.”

Murray said training wouldn’t have to be a government or private responsibility alone, as nonprofits could contribute, too.

Murray pointed out that Class 3 e-bikes, which can go as fast as 28 mph and are regulated differently by a handful of Arizona jurisdictions, probably require the most training to handle.

“My kids are grown now, but if they were teens or pre-teens, I’d be terrified of these things,” Murray said of the fastest e-bikes.

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.

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

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.

Community: He supports animal shelters.