Juneau moves to ban electric motorcycles on nearly all public property

Electric motorcycles would be illegal on nearly all public property in Juneau under an ordinance the Assembly Committee of the Whole directed staff Monday to draft. The committee exempted Montana Creek Trail and Area 35, the off-road vehicle park, plus future areas where that use is permitted.

Mayor Beth Weldon's motion, adopted without objection, defines an e-moto as a vehicle with no manufacturer-installed functional pedals, a motor capable of more than 20 mph on level ground on motor power alone, or a motor rated above 750 watts continuous. Any one takes a vehicle out of the Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bike definitions, the legal tiers that keep pedals. Deputy City Manager Robert Barr said the ordinance would include a specific exemption for devices people rely on for mobility. He said he believes state law already keeps e-motos off streets unless they are licensed and registered as motorcycles.

Barr's memo put it in numbers: two e-bikes sold locally run 750 to 1,300 watts and top out at 28 mph; two e-motos run 3,500 to 10,000 watts and reach 46 mph. All four are already in Juneau, and the e-motos sit "on the lower end of the e-moto power spectrum."

"Kind of the end result here is e-motos would be treated the same as dirt bikes," assembly member Neil Steininger said.

The committee also directed the law department to extend careless and negligent driving infractions to bikes, e-bikes and e-motos, and to bring back a graduated fine schedule. City Attorney Emily Wright said infractions are capped at $500 apiece and repeat offenses could trigger impoundment. An amendment directing a $500 maximum failed on a 4-4 roll call. A later amendment adding e-scooters and e-skateboards passed, over a staff recommendation against it citing no reported incidents.

Members voted 7-1 to recommend the manager table the separate Parks and Recreation e-bike ordinance at the next regular meeting, leaving Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes on park trails and at Eaglecrest unregulated: the boroughwide approach staff proposed treats every e-bike class like an ordinary bicycle. "It is kind of getting out of the e-bike game entirely," assembly member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs said of that path.

The request came from riders. At the Aug. 17 Assembly meeting Reid Harris, president of the Juneau Mountain Bike Alliance, said e-motos misidentified as e-bikes were damaging trails and parks, and asked for an ordinance. Craig Good, also of the Alliance, cited reckless riding by minors.

Wright said she plans to have the ordinance ready for introduction Oct. 26, with a public hearing later. She said whether the rules would reach private roads would depend on the circumstances, and that the city generally does not ticket there. No rider or seller spoke; the worksession took no testimony.