NYC e-bikes in Central Park bring mixed reactions from New Yorkers

E-bikes in parks divide New Yorkers' opinions

E-bikes are currently allowed in New York City parks as part of a pilot program launched in June 2023, and New Yorkers are divided on how they feel about the new additions.

NEW YORK CITY - The west side of Central Park on any summer evening is packed with folks pounding the pavement peddling bikes and coasting on scooters.

On some roads inside the park for a limited time, e-bikes and e-scooters can share the road with pedestrians. For some, that’s not a problem.

"In the park I feel pretty safe with e-bikes," one shared.

"I think it’s fairly safe. I would say mostly going for long runs around here you’re protected. You’re not going to get hit by bikers," a park goer added.

But other New Yorkers find that to be a tough adjustment.

"I don’t feel safe anymore. It’s just like you have to look left and right. You don’t even know when they’re coming," an everyday park goer told FOX 5 NY.

Mixed reviews like those checked out, according to a survey by the Parks Department questioning nearly 6,000 New Yorkers.

The West Side Rag reported a Parks Department study that shows 54% of people say they feel safe with the pilot program allowing e-bikes and e-scooters and mopeds along park drives and greenways, but 45% of people don’t.

Speeding among e-bikes, e-scooters and mopeds each all accounted for more than 70% of concerns mentioned, the survey found. Cindy’s found that concerning herself.

"I’ve seen people hit by the bikes because they just go so fast. A lot of them don’t even know how to ride the e-bikes. As I said, they don’t stop for lights. Sometimes I can stand here for five minutes before I cross the street because nobody’ll stop," she said.

The Parks Department’s goal of the pilot is to get all park users to use the city’s public spaces safely and respectfully.

There’s still plenty of time to determine what’s working and what’s not as the city’s pilot program gauging the use of e-bike and e-scooter use within city parks’ will continue through May 31 next year.