Aledo
Police chief asks the council to consider rules for e-bikes, golf carts and other small vehicles
Chief Carol Riddle brought the issue to the council on June 4 as the new department builds out traffic enforcement. It returned as a work session on Sept. 3.
Aledo Police Chief Carol Riddle presented the City Council on June 4 with her concerns about e-bikes, golf carts and other specialty motor vehicles on city streets, and the lack of local ordinances that would let officers regulate them, opening a discussion about whether Aledo needs rules of its own to go with state law.
Texas law treats these vehicles differently. Cities may allow golf carts on streets with posted limits of 35 mph or less, and electric bicycles fall into three classes with different speed and age provisions; Class 3 riders must be at least 15. Cities may prohibit e-bikes on sidewalks or paths, set speed limits on dedicated bike paths and require helmets by ordinance. The presentation came as the department, which began operations in January with Riddle as its first chief, takes over daytime patrol inside the city.
The topic came back as a council work session on Sept. 3. The Ledger will track any ordinance that follows; agendas are posted on the city's CivicClerk portal before each first- and third-Thursday meeting.
Sources: The Community News: Aledo; City of Aledo: Sept. 3 work-session memo (CivicClerk)
How this was sourced: The Community News' account of the June 4 meeting, and the chief's Sept. 3 memo and presentation in the council packet on CivicClerk.