- Fort Thomas is advancing an ordinance that would ban all e-bikes from sidewalks.
- City officials say the proposal is designed to improve pedestrian safety as electric bikes and scooters become increasingly common.
- Council members are refining the draft before a first reading, including clarifying park restrictions.
Fort Thomas is in the final stages of overhauling its electric mobility device ordinance, which would curtail the use of popular e-bikes on sidewalks.
Although no action was taken at the July 20 Law, Labor, License and License Committee meeting, the body drafted an evolving framework for an ordinance expected to appear before the council at its next meeting.
E-bikes and e-scooters have exploded in popularity, as people, particularly adolescents across the United States, have adopted them as a convenient form of urban and suburban transportation. Many teenagers in Fort Thomas use e-bikes and e-scooters to travel to and from school because Fort Thomas Independent Schools does not offer a bus service for students.
However, as use rises, so do injuries to riders. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reported in 2025 that injuries from micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters, hoverboards and e-bikes, have risen by an estimated 23% annually since 2017.
In response, several municipal governments in Northern Kentucky have advanced legislative measures to curb use on sidewalks and other walkways in order to protect pedestrians, drivers and the riders of the micromobility vehicles.
The Fort Thomas City Council proposed prohibiting all electric bicycles, regardless of classification, from operating on sidewalks and requiring them to be used on the street instead.
Councilman Ben Pendery said that the council’s goal was not to ban the use of e-scooters and e-bikes within the city, but rather to establish basic safety regulations.
“A lot of communities just outright ban these things, and I don’t think that we’re trying to do that. We don’t want to get to that position. But if we don’t take some action, we might ultimately get to that position,” Pendery said. “But my caveat would be that, as a parent, I say this, ultimately, as we all know with kids, regardless of their age, they’re going to cooperate and abide by what they’re supposed to abide by as best they can.”
Under the prospective ordinance, traditional bicycles would continue to be governed separately from e-bikes. One-person electric mobility devices such as e-scooters would be permitted on sidewalks if the riders yield to pedestrians.
Councilmembers suggested other language changes to the draft ordinance, including clarifying that restrictions apply to playgrounds rather than all parks, defining “walk your bike” zones more precisely, and adding references to applicable Kentucky statutes governing bicycle equipment such as lights and reflectors, among others.
“Again, I just think this gives people options,” Councilwoman Lauren McIntosh said. “Maybe it’s not perfect, but I don’t want to take all these liberties away from kids or adults or whoever wants to be on whatever kind of motorized bike or scooter.”
