By Stephen Appezzato
SEA BRIGHT – Ahead of the summer season, borough officials are looking to crack down on electric bikes (e-bikes), considering regulations and fines the police can enforce.
For months council members have been working on an e-bike ordinance “to give the police the authority to make sure people use e-bikes appropriately in town,” said council member Erwin Beiber at a workshop meeting March 13.
“The problem is getting worse,” Beiber said, and so far, there is “nothing on the books to give the police the authority to do anything about it.”
With the increasing prevalence of e-bikes, which allow riders to travel more than 20 miles per hour with ease, many residents are concerned about bikers speeding on the sidewalk, weaving across roadways and generally posing a public safety concern.
The goal is to establish regulation before the summer when Sea Bright’s population swells from 1,000 to 5,000 as many flock to the vacation hub’s beaches and restaurants.
In its most recent form, the e-bike ordinance mandates riders must wear helmets and adhere to a 20-mile-per-hour speed limit on roadways. It prohibits riding on the sidewalk, reckless riding and hitching and introduces other regulations. Additionally, the law would formally ban the use of low-speed vehicles on roadways, such as golf carts and ATVs. Those who violate the e-bike rules can be fined $125, while those who drive golf carts and other low-speed vehicles on the road can face a $300 charge.
The legislation was nearly introduced at the recent borough council meeting on March 19. However, the council tabled the ordinance after residents voiced concern about one stipulation in the law.
The proposed ordinance allows e-bikes to travel on Sea Bright’s “splash pad,” a stretch of sidewalk running along the sea wall in the northern section of town. Situated along Route 36 (Ocean Avenue), the splash pad gives pedestrians a way to walk safely along the busy roadway.
Resident Carol Schussheim, who frequently walks on the splash pad, said she opposes allowing e-bikes on it.
“It’s a sidewalk, not a roadway,” she said.
George Henderson, although himself an avid cyclist, agreed with Schussheim.
“I know it’s problematic, just given the arrangement, but (the road is) where bikes moving at 10, 15 miles an hour should be, as opposed to on the splash pad,” he said, noting e-bikes are heavy and can easily travel at high speeds.
In contrast, resident and cyclist Susan Markson said riding along this stretch of road, sometimes known as North Beach, can be “terrifying.” Bikers often must veer into the roadway to avoid parked cars and other obstacles.
“It’s a dangerous situation, there’s no doubt about it. But I honestly do not think that banning them (bikers) from the splash pad is the answer,” Markson said.
“Every other teenager in Rumson has an e-bike now, we all know this,” she said. “You can’t all of a sudden have all these teenagers on the road there; some people will die,” she said.
Candance Brunswick, another resident, pointed out that “Sea Bright is not a bike-friendly town,” noting cycling has boomed since the COVID-19 lockdown. She said e-bikes, in particular, allow more seniors and people with disabilities to enjoy biking outside.
“On Ocean Avenue, north of the village, it’s dangerous,” Brunswick said, agreeing that e-bikes should be permitted on the splash pad to avoid road collisions. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost gotten hit (in the road),” she said.
After others voiced their opinions, the council ultimately decided to table the introduction of the law to reconsider allowing e-bikes on the splash pad. With beach season right around the corner, the borough council has limited time to establish e-bike regulations and allow police officers to enforce rider safety rules.
The article originally appeared in the March 28 – April 3, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
