Can you ride an e-bike on the trails in Bellingham? It depends
More electric bicycle riders are using Bellingham streets, sidewalks and trails as the peppy little “e-bikes” grow in popularity.
The growing trend is leading to confusion — and occasionally some squabbles — among e-bikers and people on foot, especially along Bellingham’s popular Greenways trails that connect the city’s neighborhoods.
Bicycle advocates, as well as Bellingham Police and Parks and Recreation Department officials, are urging bike riders, drivers and folks on foot to use respect and common sense when they ride or encounter e-bikes on streets and byways.
“A lot of this relies on people to make sensible decisions. It’s about being courteous and being smart,” Jamin Agosti of Walk and Roll Bellingham told The Herald in a phone call.
City officials agree, Parks and Recreation Department Director Nicole Oliver said.
“We recognize that conflicts can occur when different types of users share the same space. That is why we continue to emphasize trail courtesy and safe speeds through signage and education, reminding all users to yield appropriately and travel in a way that respects others. We will consider additional measures, such as signage or design changes, when persistent issues are identified. Overall, we depend on people to obey the rules,” Oliver told The Herald in an email.
In 2021, Bellingham set a 15-mph speed limit for all bicycles in parks and on Greenways trails, according to previous Herald reporting.
Agosti sees disagreements arising when e-bike riders use the Greenways network instead of streets.
“When e-bikers feel unsafe they might choose to take a trail. (But) every bike is one less car trip,” Agosti said. That reduces traffic and moves the city closer to its climate goals.
Can e-bike riders use trails?
E-bikes come in three kinds, but under state and local laws, only Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on sidewalks and on trails:
- Class-1 pedal-assist with a motor that stops at 20 mph.
- Class 2: throttle-assist, and the motor stops at 20 mph.
- Class 3: Pedal-assist only. The motor stops at 28 mph and the bike must have a speedometer. Riders must be at least 16 years old. Class 3 e-bikes are allowed only on roads, including bike lanes.
License, registration and insurance aren’t required for e-bikes. Riders must follow traffic rules, including speed limits, and they must have working brakes, headlights and taillights.
E-motorcycles aren’t e-bikes
Officials in some cites are seeing problems with electric motorcycles, often called “e-motos” — especially when they are ridden on city streets by people younger than 16. E-motos are different from an e-bike, and they can be ridden only on public roads by a licensed driver.
That topic was part of a discussion at a recent meeting of the Association of Washington Cities.
“In particular, many cities have reported concerns about regulating the operation of ‘e-motos’ on public rights of way,” according to a report at the group’s Nov. 12 meeting.
“Many cities are adopting local ordinances governing the use of e-motos. However, there is some ambiguity as to whether current definitions in (state law) specifically apply to e-motos, so cities have requested AWC’s assistance in recommending possible statutory changes,” the report said.
E-bike sales growing
About 15% of Americans own an e-bike, according to ebikes.org, which promotes their use.
They can be expensive, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $6,000, according to the outdoor goods retailer REI. Sales are growing quickly and are expected to reach $2.3 billion in the U.S. this year, according to the business research firm Global Market Insights.
Why ride an e-bike?
City Councilman Michael Lilliquist has been riding his class 2 e-bike since just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On a good day, it’s a really nice way to get from where I live (in Fairhaven) to downtown. It’s a really nice way to get around the city,” Lilliquist told The Herald in a phone call.
Agosti said e-bikes allow more people to ride, and they expand the kinds of trips that people are able to take.
“They shorten the distance between things. They flatten hills. They are a realistic way to replace shorter car trips. They’re clean, they’re cheap and they’re a ton of fun,” he said.
