ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla.
– Local leaders are working to tighten regulations on e-bikes at Jacksonville beaches, and residents got their first chance to weigh in Wednesday.
Atlantic Beach held a community meeting to discuss proposed rules for e-bike riders. Atlantic Beach Mayor Curtis Ford said that legislation needs to be passed before injuries mount.
“Based on the data that proves that there are significant injuries occurring around the state and fatalities — not here in this area, but around the state — we need to be proactive to ensure that we don’t have unnecessary injuries and loss of life at the beach,” Ford said.
What the proposed rules would cover
Ford said he wants uniform regulations across all Jacksonville beach communities. The proposed rules would address:
Speed limits on sidewalks and streets
Whether riders can or cannot ride on the beach
Ford did not specify during the meeting what those speed limits would be.
Residents weigh in
Not everyone at the meeting is pushing for stricter rules. Some residents say e-bikes serve a real need in the community.
“E-bikes can be beneficial for some people as far as transportation goes,” one resident said. “Some people don’t have cars, or they can’t afford a new car or a car period — so I think it’s really important to have those legalized. But at the same time, there should definitely be safety precautions put in place.”
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