New York City will roll out a 15 mph speed limit for e-bikes, e-scooters and other pedal-assisted commercial bicycles on Oct. 24, officials said Wednesday.

The policy, which matches an existing speed cap for stand-up e-scooters, aims to improve safety for pedestrians and riders alike, Mayor Eric Adams said in a release.

What You Need To Know

  • New York City will roll out a 15 mph speed limit for e-bikes, e-scooters and other pedal-assisted commercial bicycles on Oct. 24

  • The policy, which matches an existing speed cap for stand-up e-scooters, aims to improve safety for pedestrians and riders alike

  • The city’s Department of Transportation officially adopted the rule change after holding a public hearing about the proposal on July 14

“As more New Yorkers turn to e-bikes and e-scooters to get around our city, New Yorkers have asked us to set clear, consistent rules to address this issue and protect everyone,” he said in a statement. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done to expand biking across the five boroughs while setting clear rules of the road that will improve public safety and New Yorkers’ quality of life.”

The city’s Department of Transportation officially adopted the rule change after holding a public hearing about the proposal on July 14.

The agency said it received about 900 comments through the city’s rulemaking portal, by email and at the hearing. 

“Comments did not address the specified speed limit being proposed or whether the speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters should be adjusted to a specific speed other than 15 miles per hour. Rather, comments were concerned with the existence of different speed limits for e-bikes and e-scooters than for motor vehicles,” a “Notice of Adoption” says.

“The Vehicle and Traffic Law already imposes a lower speed limit for e-scooters than for motor vehicles,” it adds. “This rule will ensure that speed limits are applied consistently to all e-mobility devices that operate on New York City streets.”

The mayor’s office said the city looked to international examples, including the European Union, when crafting the policy.

“With record bike ridership and a historic expansion of our protected bike lane network, we’re making it safer and easier than ever for the record number of New Yorkers choosing cycling by building infrastructure and providing education to meet the moment,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement.

“We are using every tool and studying worldwide best practices, to ensure every New Yorker is traveling at safe speeds on our streets,” he added.