Bikes and scooters in Penn Township Municipal Park will have to be strictly foot-powered from here on out, after township commissioners approved an ordinance prohibiting them from the park.
Commissioners voted unanimously at their June 17 meeting to ban the electric-motor-powered vehicles from the park complex, which includes baseball fields, a playground, tennis court, fishing pond, walking paths, sports courts, picnic facilities and more.
The move was prompted by increasing resident complaints regarding e-bike and e-scooter use, according to township secretary and manager Mary Perez.
“I’m glad to see this pass,” said Penn Township Police Capt. David Loughner. “We have beautiful parks, we want to do our best to keep them that way, and this is really more of a safety issue than anything.”
Western Pennsylvania police and municipal officials have looked in recent months for ways to manage e-bike and e-scooter use as some riders ignore traffic laws.
Harrison police said in April, an e-bike rider failed to stop at an intersection and was struck by an SUV, throwing the rider into the roadway.
In July 2025, 19-year-old Jeannette resident Jayden Lynch was killed in a hit-and-run crash while riding an e-bike.
State police in 2024 investigated 345 vehicle crashes involving e-bikes, accounting for about 27% of all bicycle-related crashes. Two of those crashes were fatal, and 56 e-bike riders suffered serious injuries.
E-bikes must weigh less than 100 pounds and have lights, operable pedals and an electric motor 750 watts or less. An e-bike can’t go faster than 20 mph under motor power only, according to state law.
E-bikes are allowed anywhere a traditional bicycle is allowed. A driver’s license is not required, but riders have to follow rules of the road.
Operation of a motorized bicycle requires a driver’s license, registration and insurance. It’s considered a motorized vehicle with an automatic transmission and operable pedals. The maximum speed is 25 mph. It can be powered by a gas motor or electric battery.
Electric scooters are not allowed on public streets or sidewalks under state law. They are only allowed on private property with the owner’s permission.