Fort Mitchell riders must now walk their e-bikes and e-scooters on Beechwood Road sidewalks during school hours after the City Council passed the rule on second reading Monday, Oct. 12.
The vote makes the "Walk your Wheels" requirement law, capping months of debate over how to protect pedestrians on the city's narrow sidewalks.
Mayor Greg Pohlgeers said he intends to expand the walking requirement beyond Beechwood Road to other high-traffic corridors across the city, Link NKY reported. He has not specified which streets would be next or when those changes might come before council.
The Beechwood Road rule applies 45 minutes before school starts and 45 minutes after dismissal, according to the first-reading details presented at the council's Sept. 14 meeting. Pohlgeers has coordinated with Justin Kaiser, superintendent of Beechwood Independent Schools, who supports the measure and agreed to send information to families.
The new provision builds on Ordinance 2026-12, which the council approved unanimously on Aug. 31. That ordinance banned Class 3 e-bikes, capable of reaching 28 mph, and e-motos from all city sidewalks. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, whose motor assistance cuts off at 20 mph, remain permitted but are capped at 15 mph.
Riders under 18 must wear helmets. All e-bikes and bicycles on sidewalks must have headlamps, a rear red light or reflector, functional brakes and a horn or bell audible from 200 feet, according to the ordinance text.
Council member Kim Nachazel said during the Aug. 31 discussion that riders with horns and bells still forget pedestrians have the right of way, especially on Beechwood's narrow sidewalks, according to meeting minutes. Council member Brad Leeke said he preferred monitoring the 15 mph limit before lowering it. Dr. Alyson Roeding noted enforcement at specific speeds could be difficult.
The rules grew out of a packed council meeting in August where several residents described near-collisions with children on e-bikes. "They shouted 'Get out of the way!' But who pays for my medical bills if I get hurt?" resident Terry Honebrink said at the Aug. 17 meeting, as reported by the NKY Tribune.
In a Facebook post after the Oct. 12 vote, Pohlgeers appealed directly to parents, asking them to talk to their children about yielding to pedestrians and obeying safety laws.
Fort Mitchell's approach has drawn attention across Kenton County. Pohlgeers agreed to share the ordinance text with other mayors at a Kenton County Mayors Group meeting in August, and cities including Alexandria, Fort Thomas, Florence and Union have pursued similar rules, as WCPO reported. As we reported Oct. 15, Lakeside Park's own e-bike sidewalk ordinance has reached its final reading.
Pohlgeers has not announced a timeline for bringing the expanded walking requirement to other corridors.
