E-Bike riders in New York City face a lowered speed limit restriction.
Revamped Article:
Hittin' the streets of NYC on a Citi Bike in the summertime? You'll have to ease off the pedals a bit, as the bikes now operate under a new, safety-focused speed limit.
Last week, Mayor Eric Adams' administration announced a 15 mph limit for all electric Citi Bikes equipped with pedal assist—a decision that saw a drop from the previous 18 mph maximum. According to Citi Bike general manager Patrick Knoth, this adjustment was made in accordance with Adams' directives [1].
As reported by Gothamist, the administration nixed a proposal from Citi Bike asking the city to install speedometers on the electric bicycles. This means enforcement now relies on cyclists self-regulating to adhere to the new speed limit [1].
Mayor Adams isn't backing down from his commitment to making the city's streets safer, citing a slew of concerns about e-bikes and their impact on safety. In a statement earlier this month, he shared, "I've heard repeatedly from New Yorkers that their safety—and the safety of their children—has been compromised due to the excessive speed of e-bikes and e-scooters."
To further enhance safety, the city plans to explore adding physical barriers in parks like Central and Prospect Park, protecting both pedestrians and electric bike users alike [2].
In the past three years, over 87.5 miles of protected bike lanes have been erected, and 20 miles of existing ones have been upgraded to meet the explosive demand for bike infrastructure across NYC [5]. If you haven't yet explored the downtown scene of this small NYC gem, it's definitely worth a visit this summer!
Fun Fact: Since 2021, nine deaths and 1,170 injuries have been recorded in connection with Citi Bike e-bikes [1][2].
Oversight Note: The 15 mph limit primarily stems from a focus on public safety, as some criticize the decrease may negatively impact the utility of these bikes for daily commuting [3][4].
[1] https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-citi-bikes-speed-limit-reduced[2] https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/press/2022/05-16-23.shtml[3] https://www.crainsnewyork.com/transportation/deaths-1-170-injuries-tied-citi-bikes-raise-questions-nyc-e-bike-safety[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/16/nyregion/nyc-citi-bike-speed-limit.html[5] https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dot/pedestrians/fund-projects/building-bike-infrastructure.page
- Despite the 15 mph speed limit on electric Citi Bikes, concerns have been raised about its potential impact on commuters, especially in the finance industry, who heavily rely on the automotive sector and fast transportation for their daily travels.
- In the automotive industry, some are advocating for the installation of speedometers on Citi Bikes to ensure compliance with the new speed limit, arguing that self-regulation may not be sufficient and could have financial implications if delays occur due to slow speed.
