Illinois rolls out new electric bicycle rules
By Charles Bolinger
Editor • Micromobility devices have exploded in popularity in Illinois and Madison County is no exception. These devices run the gamut from low-speed electric bicycles (e-bikes), high-speed e-bikes, to e-motorbikes, e-unicycles, e-skateboards, to low-speed e-scooters, high-speed e-scooters and toy vehicles.
Illinois categorizes low-speed e-bikes into three distinct classes. They all must have: fully operable pedals, motors making less than 750 watts of power and carry manufacturer’s labels stating their class, top assisted speed and wattage.
Class 1: Pedal-assist only; the motor provides assistance only while pedaling and cuts off at 20 mph. They have no independent hand-operated throttles
Class 2: Throttle-assist; the motor can propel the bike without pedaling but cuts off at 20 mph. The motor powers the bike via throttle; no pedaling required
Class 3: Pedal-assist only; the motor provides assistance only while pedaling and cuts off at 28 mph. The motor only works when a rider pedals. Riders must be at least 16 years old
All low-speed e-mailed are to be used on streets, bike lanes, bike paths and shared-use trails but not on sidewalks. Other than streets with bike lanes, the main places to ride these machines in Madison County are via the vast Madison County Transit (MCT) trail network. However, some towns and villages have more trails than others.
For example, Marine has the Heritage Trail, which starts/ends at the village’s park and connects in Glen Carbon to the Nickel Plate Trail near the village’s new fire station. The Goshen Trail, which is MCT’s main north-south stem trail, cuts through Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville and Collinsville. Troy, by contrast, just has the Silver Creek Trail, which currently runs from Formosa Road to the eastern property line of Henning Elementary School. A new bridge over US 40 is planned to link Silver Creek to the rest of the network. Maryville also has the Schoolhouse Trail winding its way through the village. St. Jacob and Troy have smaller, internal trails that will and currently do link to Silver Creek. Glen Carbon and Edwardsville also have a few trails that are separate from the ones MCT controls.
New Requirements
License & Registration: E-bikes are legally treated as bicycles. You do not need a driver’s license, vehicle registration or liability insurance to ride Class 1, 2 or 3 low-speed e-bikes.
Night Riding: If riding at night, Illinois law requires a white front light visible from 500 feet and a red rear reflector or light visible from 100 to 600 feet.
On July 1, a new bill signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker replaced a patchwork of former local regulations on these devices. Changes include age limits for Class 1 and 2 operators — they must be at least 15 years old; Class 3 operators must be 16 years old as before but to carry non-related passengers or their children or stepchildren, they must be 18 or older.
The new law also created a new tier of regulations for high-speed e-bikes, which have electric motors between 750 and 8,000 watts and can go faster than 28 mph and usually have foot pegs as well as pedals. These will be regulated much like motorcycles – users will need a valid driver’s license, insurance, ownership title and to register the vehicle with the state. They are only to be used on roads — they are prohibited on sidewalks, bike lanes and bike paths. This type of e-bike was not regulated before.
For riders of electric motor bikes, or e-motos, which can usually top out at speeds greater than 50 mph, they too, are to be regulated like high-speed e-bikes above and typical motorcycles. There was no prior regulation for e-motos.
E-unicycle riders must be 16 years or older under the new law. Operators are prohibited from riding them on sidewalks and at speeds greater than 28 mph. They are permitted in bike lanes, on bike paths and on roads with 35 mph or lesser speed limits. Only allowed on roads with speeds higher than 35 mph if bike lanes are present. They were not regulated before July 1.
Electric skateboard users must be 16 or older, they are prohibited from operating at more than 28 mph and on sidewalks. They can be used in bike lanes, on bike paths and on roads up to 35 mph speed limits. The only way they can be used on roads with higher speed limits is if there are bike lanes. These were not regulated before.
Low-speed e-scooters (10-20 mph) used to be limited to traveling at speeds of 10 mph or less, riders had to be at least 18 years old and they could be used on streets, bike lakes, bike paths and shared-use trails. They were prohibited on streets with speed limits in excess of 35 mph and state highways.
Now, these scooters have a top speed limit of 15, riders must be 16 or older, they are prohibited from being ridden on sidewalks but they are allowed in bike lanes, on bike paths, roads with 35 mph speed limits or less. They can be used on roads with higher speed limits only if there are bike lanes.
High-speed e-scooters (up to 50+ mph) used to have no regulation. Under the new law, scooters that travel at speeds greater than 15 mph are included. Riders must be at least 16 years old. They are prohibited from use on sidewalks and from exceeding 28 mph. They are permitted in bike lanes, on bike paths and on roads with speed limits of up to 35 mph. The only way they can be on roads with speed limits greater than 35 mph is if there are bike lanes.
Finally, for all of those Barbie Corvette owners out there and other toy vehicles (up to 10 mph) used by children 8 and younger, these are allowed on sidewalks and bike paths unless prohibited locally. They were not regulated before.
SJ Morrison, MCT Managing Director, talked to a reporter briefly on June 24 about the issue.
He said that since the bill had only recently been signed into law, MCT is still in the process of reviewing the language and will soon be issuing a statement.
“There are a lot of new provisions in this law that will help make the MCT Trails safer for all users,” said Morrison.
He indicated that MCT strongly supports the new law and wants to partner with local municipalities to ensure that the new rules for e-bikes are enforced, especially as it relates to young users.
“We receive, on an almost daily basis, complaints about young e-bike users speeding recklessly on the MCT Trails,” said Morrison. “They are a danger to themselves and the other trailgoers. It’s our hope that this new law will offer a mechanism for curbing bad behavior so that the trails remain a safe place for all ages and abilities.”
He said he even favors tickets being issued to violators, and that the new legislation allows for e-bikes and e-motos to be confiscated and impounded, if necessary.
“E-bikes are a great mobility tool that we want to support on the MCT Trails, but they are being misused,” said Morrison. “We need to hold people accountable and be able to enforce the provisions of this new law, we can’t allow it to be the Wild West.”
Area police chiefs have reacted differently to the issue.
In Collinsville, Chief Brett Boerm was not overly concerned.
“In short, this isn’t a huge problem for us,” he said. “As the chief, I do occasionally get questions about them and their legality. The biggest concern I see with them is operating at higher-than-normal bicycle speeds on public sidewalks.
“Currently, we have no local ordinances in place that govern or regulate e-bikes or similar vehicles listed in the proposed new legislation,” he continued. “We’ve had very few issues with these types of vehicles to this point. I do see them go fast and [they]can cause issues on sidewalks but nothing prevalent.”
Boerm said enforcing the new legislation will be a challenge.
I have skimmed [it],” he said of the new law. “In its current form, it seems convoluted and overregulated.” He summed up by saying no Collinsville Police Officers regularly patrol trails within city limits.
In Glen Carbon, Police Chief Todd Link said he and his staff are in the midst of beefing up the village’s current single-sentence ordinance on scooters.
“We currently have a one-sentence ordinance which addresses motorized scooters and E-scooter use very generally in parks and on public lands,” he said. “My command staff and I are crafting an updated ordinance to bring before the village board in the near future. The ordinance we will propose will potentially mirror the language of the pending state law.”
Unlike in Collinsville, Link said his department has received more than a few gripes about e-bikes.
“We have received many complaints, often in regard to nuisance behavior by mostly minors operating these devices,” he said.
Link said he has read a short summary of the new law.
“I agree with the effort of lawmakers to address this issue by putting forth one, uniform law across the state which provides common sense protections and accountability,” he said.
Regarding local patrols, Link said his officers do not regularly ride the trails within the village.
“Since the trails belong to Madison Country Transit, we do not provide routine and regular patrol on the trails,” he said. “We have, however, been in discussions with them about this issue and are trying to work toward a solution to problems caused by the misuse of these devices.”
Between Collinsville and Glen Carbon, Maryville Police Chief Tony Manley said the village’s local ordinances are comprehensive.
“At this time, our local ordinances address bicycles, motorized pedal cycles, mopeds, motorcycles, and the operation of motorized vehicles on sidewalks,” he said.
Manley said his department has not seen a rash of e-bike issues.
“From a law enforcement perspective, we have not experienced a significant increase in issues directly related to electric bicycles,” he said. “The concerns we have encountered generally involve speed, rider behavior and confusion regarding the classification of various electric-powered devices. As technology continues to evolve, it can sometimes be difficult for the public to distinguish between traditional e-bikes, higher-powered electric motorcycles, mopeds and other motorized devices.”
Manley said Maryville has access to the Madison County Transit trail system, and while it does not have officers specifically assigned to trail patrol, officers routinely are in the area of the trails as part of their normal patrol duties and respond to assist Madison County with complaints or calls for service when necessary.
“At this time, we have not observed a substantial increase in complaints regarding e-bikes or other two-wheeled transportation devices over the past year,” he told a reporter earlier in June.
In regards to the recent legislation passed by the Illinois House and Senate, Manley said he believes that clearer statewide definitions and regulations can be beneficial for law enforcement, municipalities and the public.
“One of the challenges we face is differentiating between devices that qualify as bicycles and those that are more appropriately regulated as motor vehicles,” he said. “Consistent statewide standards may help provide clarity and improve enforcement efforts.”
Regarding devices that are not classified as e-bikes, such as mini bikes, motorcycles, mopeds, or certain electric-powered vehicles, Manley said enforcement depends on the specific device and where it is being operated.
“Local ordinances prohibit motorized vehicles and similar devices from being operated on sidewalks and state law may require registration, licensing, insurance and equipment compliance depending on the classification of the vehicle,” he said. “Violations may result in warnings, citations, or other enforcement action based on the circumstances.”
He summed up by saying, “As these devices become more common, I believe education, responsible operation and clear regulations will be important in balancing mobility options with public safety.”
Troy’s Police Chief, Christopher Wasser, did not reply by this story’s deadline.
Dr. Carole Widman, Highland’s police chief, noted the devices’ popularity and value but said the increasing numbers of them highlight the need for ‘clear and reasonable regulations.’
“Safety must remain the priority for riders, pedestrians, motorists and first responders alike. Establishing standards for speed, age requirements, proper equipment and where certain classes of e-bikes may operate will help ensure that everyone can safely enjoy our shared public spaces while reducing the risk of preventable accidents and injuries,” she said.
She said Highland is committed to working with residents, riders, businesses and other stakeholders to find practical solutions that balance the benefits of e-bikes with the responsibility to protect the safety and quality of life of all parties involved.
“Our goal is to develop regulations that are fair, effective and supported by the community we serve,” she said.
