E‑bike task force recommends education, signage and state changes as council debates boardwalk access

A city task force convened to study e‑bike safety recommended a mix of near‑term local steps and state advocacy to reduce crashes and nuisance behavior from electronic bicycles and similar devices.

"Our vision was to promote responsibility and safety," task force co‑chair Jeanne Cox Evans told the council, noting the difficulty officers have identifying e‑bike classes by sight. Co‑chair Chuck Keaton urged the city to press the Commonwealth to give localities clearer authority on classifications and speed regulation, and suggested the city seek a seat on the DMV work group established under House Bill 1120.

Keaton and other task force members emphasized education—targeted outreach to parents, youth and vendors—and better signage in high‑density and school zones. They recommended keeping current sidewalk bans in town center and the resort area, prohibiting e‑bikes on the boardwalk walking path, expanding signage on adjacent bike paths, and pursuing registration/decals and mandatory training where the state permits.

Councilmembers and residents raised sharp concerns about safety on the oceanfront: several speakers who live or operate businesses on the boardwalk said enforcement is inconsistent and that e‑bikes traveling at high speeds present a danger to visitors and older residents. "They don't follow those rules either," a boardwalk resident said, describing repeated noncompliance and urging stronger enforcement.

Other councilmembers noted benefits: seniors and commuters use class 1 and 2 e‑bikes to reach the resort and town center, and banning all e‑bikes could restrict mobility. Several members proposed a layered approach: continue the boardwalk walking‑path prohibition, allow lower‑speed, class 1/2 use on adjacent bike paths with recommended speeds and better signage, and seek state authority to post regulatory speed limits.

The task force recommended a phased approach—start with education and signage, coordinate training for city staff and police, monitor behavior, and reconvene in about a year. On the question of speed limits, members said Virginia law currently prevents posting regulatory bike‑path speed limits without state authorization; the group recommended posting recommended speeds (8–10 mph was discussed) and pursuing legislative change for enforceable limits.

Council did not take a final vote but directed staff to circulate the task force report and to continue coordinating with the police, schools and state partners on next steps. Staff noted that schools are already a focus—e‑bikes remain banned on school property by state law—and that enforcement resources are constrained by officer shortages.