E-scooters and e-bikes will be legal

E-bike riders soon will be allowed to zoom through the city without fear of getting busted under bills the City Council approved on Thursday.

Electric bikes that can travel up to 25 mph will be allowed in bicycle lanes, as will e-scooters that can go up to 20 mph.

The legislation, to take effect in October, could be a big relief to the city’s legions of delivery workers, who have long ridden e-bikes in fear of steep fines and confiscation of their juiced-up rides.

“This is going to help — from the environment, social justice and providing a transportation alternative to helping essential workers,” said the bills’ sponsor, Councilman Fernando Cabrera (D-Bronx).

The legislation comes after the city suspended enforcement of e-bike rules in March, with Mayor de Blasio explaining delivery workers were more vital than ever amid the peak of the coronavirus outbreak.

The policy marked a hiatus in the mayor’s war on e-bikes. Under existing city law, e-bikes are illegal, and users face $500 fines and confiscation of their bikes.

Under another bill from Cabrera passed on Thursday, the city in March will launch a pilot e-scooter sharing program outside Manhattan that would work like Citi Bikes and the Revel moped sharing program.

De Blasio said he regretted the previous crackdown and would sign the e-bike bills into law.

“People need more safe ways to get around and more options in light of the pandemic,” he said at a press conference.

“I’m always going to be watching for the safety issues on the e-scooters,” he added.

Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal voted yes on the bills, but voiced reservations.

“On the Upper West Side, we see a lot of e-bikes and … scooters going the wrong way in bike lanes and in the park,” said Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat. “I have quite a few constituents who have been in crashes in those e-bikes and gotten seriously injured.”

She called for the Council to “think hard” about e-bike safety issues.