Tell us what you think about the use of e-bikes and e-scooters on M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation trails in Prince George's County

On October 16, 2019, the Director of the M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County signed a Park Directive allowing e-bikes and e-scooters on certain M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation trails in the County for a ten-month pilot program to run from November 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020. After a presentation to the Planning Board on October 31, 2019, the Directive went into force on November 1, 2019.

The pilot program will allow M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation to study the impact of e-bike and e-scooter use on hard-surface trails. 

The following park trails are included in the pilot program and will be posted as such. (Additional public notification will be shared through social media and the website.)

• Northwest Branch Trail,

• Sligo Creek Trail,

• Northeast Branch Trail,

• Indian Creek Trail,

• Paint Branch Trail,

• Little Paint Branch Trail,

• Trolley Trail in College Park, Riverdale Park, and Hyattsville,

• AnacostiaRiver Trail (ART) -- between Armentrout Drive and Bladensburg Waterfront Park (BWP).

PLEASE NOTE: E-vehicles are NOT ALLOWED on some of the loop trails at Lake Artemesia or on the ART south of BWP. Please park e-vehicles in designated locations.

In Prince George's County, VeoRide, a commercial bicycle and scooter sharing service has been introduced in the greater College Park area. VeoRide offers e-bikes and e-scooters, along with standard bicycles, for use on campus and in the surrounding community. Because the Paint Branch and other park trails are integral to the bicycle and pedestrian transportation network in this area, the M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County is allowing e-bike and e-scooter access to the Anacostia Tributaries Trail System.

Montgomery County Parks has provided a similar Pilot Program for paved park trails in the southeast part of the county, including Sligo Creek Trail and Northwest Branch Trail. 

Background

Electric Bicycles (e-bikes) and Electric Scooters (e-scooters) are becoming increasingly popular for transportation and recreation in the United States. They have become more affordable to purchase for personal/private use. Companies like Lime, Bird, Jump, Skip, Spin, Razor, VeoRide and Lyft are deploying rentable, dockless e-vehicles at affordable rates throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area. Commuters and the general public can now own or rent e-bikes and e-scooters for eco-friendly transportation to places of employment, transit stations, central business districts or just for fun.  

E-Bike and E-Scooter Pilot Program

The pilot programs established by both Montgomery and Prince George’s County parks allow use of select electric powered vehicles on bicycle and pedestrian trails that otherwise prohibit motorized vehicle use.

The types of electric bicycles and scooters are defined below.  The programs accommodate both privately owned e-vehicles and those provided by commercial vehicle sharing initiatives. In Prince George’s County this includes VeoRide, a service introduced in the College Park area by the University of Maryland, and municipalities of College Park and University Park.

Electric Bicycles (e-bikes) Definition

An Electric Bicycle is defined in Park Rules Chapter II, Section 1(G) as a vehicle that (1) is designated to be operated by human power with the assistance of an electric motor; (2)is equipped with fully operable pedals; (3)has two or three wheels; and (4) has a motor with a rating of 500 watts or less.

Electric Scooters (e-scooters) Definition

An e-scooter is a vehicle that:

1. is designed to transport only the operator;
2. weighs less than 100 pounds;
3. has single wheels in tandem or a combination of one or two wheels at the front and rear of the vehicle;
4. is equipped with handlebars and a platform designed to be stood on while riding;
5. is solely powered by a battery-powered electric motor and human power; and
6. is capable of operating at a speed no greater than 25 mph. 

How will the Department of Parks evaluate the pilot program?

The following aspects are examples of data which will be analyzed to evaluate the pilot:

• Conflicts with existing user groups
• Safety
• Infractions, violations, abandonment and/or other observations by Park Police and Park staff
• Differences between personal vehicles and the vehicles offered by commercial sharing services
• General public input

The M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County is collecting public comment throughout the pilot program period. Please provide your comments by clicking the "Your Response" tab above.