More than a decade after Sarnia banned e-bikes on city paths and trails, city officials are considering whether that should change.
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A survey at speakupsarnia.ca asks people whether they’d be comfortable sharing places like the Howard Watson Nature Trail, the St. Clair River waterfront and others with the battery-powered bikes that travel up to 32 km/h.
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There are also questions about what types of e-bikes people are OK with, said city development and transportation manager Alister Brown.
Some require pedalling, others don’t; all have working pedals, braking systems and handlebars.
“We’re asking people really to differentiate and specify their tolerance when we’re asking these questions,” Brown said, adding that includes where people would be comfortable seeing them.
The survey is open until 4 pm Feb. 2, and hopes are to share that feedback in a report to council about March or April, he said.
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“Certainly we want to have something in place for the upcoming spring season when the bikes really start getting back out.”
The city’s traffic and parking bylaw was last updated to restrict e-bike use in 2011, amid concerns at the time about the quiet vehicles surprising people walking or otherwise using trails.
There were also calls at the time for more bike lanes on city streets.
Thirteen years later, the bylaw review is a result of increasing e-bike popularity, and a Cycling Without Age program via the Bluewater Cycling Organization, Brown said.
Volunteers with that program use electrically assisted trishaws to take seniors out for rides along paths and trails.
It started in 2022 and went well before officials realized it was operating illegally under the bylaw. A one-year exemption for the program was granted last spring.
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Officials in September said the program is growing in popularity and hopes are to provide 1,000 rides this summer.
“We haven’t fielded complaints about that program at all actually,” Brown said.
Provincially, e-bike users have to be 16 or older and wear a helmet, and can’t modify e-bikes to go faster than 32 km/h.
In Sarnia, they’re permitted on city streets under the Highway Traffic Act.
Other municipalities vary in their approachcity officials noted.
Some prohibit e-bikes on paths and trails, some permit them, and others have exemptions for certain trails, or restrictions for certain types of e-bikes.
While e-bikes are environmentally friendly, promote physical activity and are cheaper than cars, they can create conflict on trails and pathways since they’re larger, heavier and move quickly, city officials said.
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