What: possible new town rules for e-bikes, which the police say the current park-vehicle ordinance does not cover.
Where it stands: On 2026-11-04 the Council sent the matter to its ordinance committee and asked the solicitor to provide a proposed ordinance.
Next: Draft ordinance from the solicitor, with police input, in the ordinance committee.
Details
A councilor and a police lieutenant described a rise in e-bike complaints and crashes, many involving juveniles, on roads, sidewalks, parks, school grounds and parking lots. The police said the department's crash data does not track e-bikes, so no count was available.
State rules cited: riders must be 16 or older on public roadways, helmets are required under age 21, e-bikes are not allowed on sidewalks, and no license or registration is required. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes reach 20 mph and class 3 reach 28 mph (figures as heard in auto-captions).
The existing town ordinance on riding vehicles in parks was described as outdated. Barrington, East Providence and Smithfield were cited as having updated or being in the process of updating theirs.
One councilor stated opposition to e-bikes; others focused on education and enforcement options. Public comment suggested rider identification.
Two motions passed by voice vote: send e-bikes to the ordinance committee, and ask the solicitor for a proposed ordinance. Police asked for a seat in drafting and will share sample ordinances.