The Woodlands Township reviews e-bike policy on pathways

Some context

Motorized vehicles and e-bikes are defined by the Texas Legislature in House Bill 2188 as "propelled by an electric motor, exclusively or in combination with the application of human power." There are multiple classifications of e-bikes including:

• Class 1: partially human-powered with a speed limit of 20 mph
• Class 2: primarily motor-powered with a speed limit of 20 mph
• Class 3: partially human-powered with a speed limit of 28 mph

What they're saying

"[Spring Creek] pathway is going to be more linear where you're seeing further ahead than the serpentine rails that you see in The Woodlands," Nunes said. "Over time and many, many examples I can cite, the pathways were moved and zig-zagged specifically to stay away from areas of larger trees, and we're doing that right now."

"Safety is our highest priority, and we believe the pathway should be safe for all users that includes walkers, strollers, walking dogs, riding scooters, and riding bikes," said Tricia Monticello Kievlan, board president of Bike The Woodlands.

How we got here

The issue of e-vehicles on pathways initially arose in 2013, and restriction of e-vehicles was upheld by the township board in 2021 following concern from the public regarding walking safety throughout the park systems. The board of directors decided to not make any change to the township's e-bike policy Jan. 18, and it will consider the information at a future meeting, according to discussion at the meeting.