KENTON COUNTY, Ky. — Kenton County leaders may soon be taking cues from Fort Mitchell, which will begin the process of regulating e-bikes this week.
At the meeting of the Kenton County Mayors Group Saturday, Fort Mitchell Mayor Greg Pohlgeers agreed to share the text of the upcoming regulations with other elected officials, many of whom expressed concerns about e-bike safety in their own cities.
“Next year we’ll go down to Frankfurt and lobby for this,” Pohlgeers said.
Fort Mitchell will perform a first reading of new regulations, which you can read here, on e-bikes on Monday. Council began discussing the prospect of enacting regulations in mid July, and Alexandria, Fort Thomas, Florence and Union are following suit.
The new Fort Mitchell ordinance categorizes the vehicles into three different levels: class 1, class 2 and class 3. Class 3 is the fastest, capable of reaching at least 28 miles per hour. The classifications are based off manufacturers’ benchmarks. The new ordinance, if passed, would ban class 3 vehicles on Fort Mitchell sidewalks.
Pohlgeers said one issue with e‑bikes is that cities in Kentucky can’t simply prohibit them because state law classifies these devices as bicycles.
Kentucky’s primary law governing bicycles — and, in practice, e‑bikes — on public roads is KRS 189.287, which gives the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet authority to establish bicycle equipment and safety standards. Using that authority, the cabinet adopted the statewide bicycle‑safety administrative regulation.
Because Kentucky law does not create a separate definition or class system for e‑bikes, the state treats electric bicycles the same as traditional bicycles under this regulation.
Bicycles are permitted on sidewalks under state law, but riders must slow to ordinary walking speed whenever pedestrians are present or can reasonably be expected nearby.
Kentucky statute sets an age limit for e-scooters, on the other hand, at 16. It also requires electric low-speed scooters to be equipped and have illuminated at least one headlamp and at least one rear red light when operated half an hour after sunset and before sunrise or during conditions where visibility is low.
E-scooters may also be parked on a sidewalk that does not impede reasonable movement from traffic.
The mayors seemed to be on the same page in feeling the vehicles posed a safety risk, especially on sidewalks and especially with kids.
“I saw that the other day,” said Villa Hills Mayor Heather Jansen. “There was somebody who was running on the sidewalk. There were four kids who were on their e-bikes. They’re taking up the sidewalk, and this guy is in the yard. If I’m walking, I have to decide, am I going to yield?”
Pohlgeers himself recounted two recent incidents in Fort Mitchell that involved collisions of kids on e-bikes.
“I see these kids riding to school. I see them riding to practice and other activities,” Pohlgeers said. “I like that aspect of it; I really do, but if they’re going to continue to do it, they have to do it in a safe manner.”
Jansen agreed.
“I think the beginning step is to actually classify, figure out what’s what and then focus ones that we can regulate,” Jansen said.
Ariel Leonard contributed reporting to this story. LINK nky is a media partner of WCPO.com.
