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NYC’s 15 MPH Limit for E-Bikes and E-Scooters Takes Effect as City Emphasizes Education Over Tickets

Officials pledge an education-first rollout with warnings and new signage.

Overview

  • The rule lowers the previous legal range of 20–25 mph and covers all five boroughs along with paths in city-operated parks.
  • City Hall and the NYPD say first-time violators will receive warnings, with outreach through LinkNYC kiosks, NotifyNYC alerts and new corridor signage.
  • Practical enforcement remains unsettled because most devices lack registration and officers would need reliable speed checks, according to officials and reporting.
  • A New York Post spot check clocked many riders near 23 mph, and e-bikes were observed on the already off-limits Hudson River Greenway.
  • The policy follows mixed safety indicators, with overall traffic deaths down 18% this year and e-bike fatalities lower, even as reported collisions rose about 11%.