Walnut Creek Tackles E-Bike Enforcement On City Streets

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Bay Area residents are debating how to share their city streets with e-bikes.

Contra Costa County is no exception.

The topic of e-bikes is on the agenda at Thursday's Lafayette Transportation and Circulation Commission meeting.

Lafayette Police already launched an enforcement campaign for e-bikes and scooters, and they say they plan to do so again.

Offering speed, ease of use, and a touch of adventure, motor-assisted bicycles provide a popular alternative to traditional bikes, according to Jennifer Rodriguez, injury prevention coordinator for the Injury Prevention Program at Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital.

The speed and adventure make them especially attractive to teenagers.

Adults are not immune to either speed or adventure.

However, in Walnut Creek, complaints are mainly about teenagers driving too fast and not following the rules of the road, according to Betsy Burkhart, spokesperson for Walnut Creek.

Rules exist, but enforcement is difficult, she said.

The Walnut Creek City Council will put e-bikes on a future agenda, she said.