City in southern part of Denver metro area proposing ordinance for regulating e-bikes and e-motorcycles

You may have seen or heard them in your Colorado neighborhood. People are riding e-bikes and e-motorcycles, sometimes riding recklessly, traveling at high speeds, or not obeying the rules of the road. The city of Centennial is now proposing an ordinance to crack down on these behaviors.

Centennial Mayor Christine Sweetland says the city has received a growing number of complaints about people riding e-bikes and e-motorcycles in areas they shouldn't be riding, like in parks, sidewalks or on trails used by walkers. The proposed ordinance would put regulations in place about where you can ride e-bikes and e-motos and allow people to be ticketed who are violating the rules.

This summer, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office deputies have also pulled over teens for driving e-bikes and e-motorcycles recklessly, but also to educate teens on driving responsibly and the rules of the road.

"People are very nervous about seeing kids on these e-bikes not following traffic laws, going in the middle of traffic," said Sweetland. "Or kids at elementary schools say how scary it is when they're waiting for the bus and somebody drives by really quick on an e-bike."

Class 3 e-bikes have pedals and can reach speeds of up to 28 mph. Riders must be at least 16 years old, and bikers under 18 must wear a helmet. E-motorcycles go even faster, requiring a driver's license, insurance and registration. Traffic laws must also be followed when riding an e-motorcycle.

"We're not saying everything is banned. The focus of the ordinance is the e-motos, the bikes that go 30 miles an hour, that are really dangerous, especially if you're talking about kids that don't understand the rules of the roads, and maybe their parents don't realize how fast that they can go," said Sweetland.

Sweetland said the proposed ordinance prohibits class 3 e-bikes and e-motorcycles from parks, open areas, and trails. The city also wants to ban installing pedals on class 3 e-bikes and e-motorcycles and alterations to make them faster. Anyone in violation can be ticketed or have their bike impounded.

"I think a lot of people don't realize that if it's going 30 miles an hour, yes, it needs to have insurance, it needs to be registered. That's what the ordinance is going to do," said Sweetland.

Nearby Greenwood Village also receiving e-bike complaints

In June, police in nearby Greenwood Village arrested a 15-year-old for evading police, and his bike was impounded. Two other teens were cited for careless driving and performing risky stunts in a retail parking lot. Earlier this year, Greenwood Village also amended its municipal code to prohibit low power e-scooters and class 3 e-bikes from city paths, trails and sidewalks. The city also installed new signs in parks clarifying the changes.

Greenwood Village police say in 2026, they've received nearly 140 complaints about e-bikes and e-motorcycles. The city says there was a large increase in complaints in May, likely due to the end of the school year. Police have issued seven citations and impounded two e-bikes/e-motorcycles.

Both cities, Greenwood Village and Centennial, are now emphasizing enforcement, education and dangers.

Injuries "are more aggressive," Colorado doctor says

Injuries from e-scooters, e-bikes, and e-motorcycles have also skyrocketed over the last three years. The number of injuries is up more than 180%, according to data from HCA HealthONE emergency rooms around the Denver metro area.

"What we're seeing is an increased frequency of pelvic fractures, so broken bones in the pelvic ring, blunt abdominal trauma, so injuries to the spleen, the liver, and the small and large intestines," said Dr. Shevie Kassai, Chief of Surgery and Trauma Director at HCA HealthONE Aurora.

Kassai said they've treated 17 injured people this year at the hospital in Aurora, more than they've ever treated in previous years. She added many of the injuries reflect what they would typically see in motorcycle accidents.

"The injuries are more aggressive. You go faster, and your velocity is higher when you crash into something, and that's why they're so scary."

Because e-scooters, e-bikes and e-motorcycles can reach dangerous speeds and have serious consequences, she added it's important that parents talk to their children and teens about riding responsibly.

"The educated consumer is going to be the safest one. Educate yourself and understand how to use them. If you allow your children to use them, make sure that they understand," said Kassai. "Because we as surgeons can fix broken bones. We can fix lots of broken things, but we can't fix broken brains."

"We just want people to be safe and feel very safe, regardless of if they're walking, in a car, on an e-bike, but that they feel safe when they're using our roads, our sidewalks, and our trails," said Sweetland.

Online tools emerge as concerns rise about e-scooters and e-bikes

This summer, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office deputies have also been in the community educating residents about the difference between e-bikes and e-motorcycles and the rules of the road. The sheriff's office also has a new page on their website with updated information. Visit arapahoeco.gov for more information. 

Greenwood Village also launched a form this month to allow residents to report illegal riding. That can be found here along with more information about e-bike safety: greenwoodvillage.com/ebikes. Residents can call the non-emergency number or online reporting tool to help report illegal or unsafe riding behavior.

Centennial's proposed ordinance had its first reading this week, with the second reading on Tuesday.