With sunshine returning and the days growing longer, North Bend’s parks and trails are buzzing with activity. Whether walking, biking, or cruising on an e-scooter, knowing the rules is important, especially if you’re riding anything electric.
Here’s a quick guide to what’s allowed and not regarding e-bikes and e-scooters in North Bend.
Rules of the Road (and Trail)
- Riders must follow all standard traffic laws and operate responsibly in a way that does not put others at risk or block lawful travel.
- E-scooters and Class 3 e-bikes are not allowed on sidewalks except where no alternative exists.
- Class 3 e-bikes are not permitted on shared-use city trails and paths.
Legal E-Bikes & E-Scooters: What to Look For
- Electric bikes must be 750 watts or below.
- E-bikes manufactured after 2018 must display their class, top assisted speed, and wattage.
E-Bike Classifications
- Class 1: Pedal-assist only, stops assisting at 20 mph.
- Class 2: Can propel without pedaling, also stops at 20 mph.
- Class 3: Pedal-assist only, stops at 28 mph, includes a speedometer. Riders must be at least 16 years old. Not allowed on shared-use trails, sidewalks (unless no alternative exists), or natural surface trails marked for non-motorized use.
E-Scooters
The same usage laws as for Class 3 e-bikes regarding sidewalk and trail restrictions must be followed.
What’s Not Allowed
Electric dirt bikes and similar motorized devices—even those with lights or blinkers—are not legal for use on public roads, sidewalks, parks, trails, or bike lanes. Similar to motorcycles, these vehicles require registration, a license plate, and insurance to be street legal.
For more details, including the city’s 15 mph maximum trail speed limit, see North Bend Municipal Code (NBMC) 12.04.190.
The City of North Bend, the Snoqualmie Police Department, and Eastside Fire & Rescue strongly recommend wearing a helmet when riding any human-powered or electric wheeled transportation—because safety is always in season.
[Information provided by the City of North Bend]
Comments
Pretty sure you may want to check the grammer of the following, the first bullet point would seem to be missing a form of “to be” and thus makes the statement incorrect.
“Riders must follow all standard traffic laws and operate responsibly in a way that puts others at risk or blocks lawful travel.”
Discover pass cost doubled, fishing hunting licenses doubled, discourage ebikes.
What kind of kids are we creating?