Why a proposed bill that would require e-bikes, e-scooters, and other motorized mobility devices would be difficult, expensive to enforce, and ineffective.

In an op-ed in Streetsblog NYC, Shabazz Stuart argues that a proposed e-bike registration bill would be ineffective.
Stuart writes, “I’ve spent most of my career managing public space at the city’s third-largest Business Improvement District and championing the creation of a regional secure bike parking and charging network with my company, Oonee. As such, I can promise that if this bill becomes law, not only will it fail to achieve its own stated goals, it will stand alone as one of the most regressive urban transportation policies of the 21st century.”
Stuart notes that bike advocates have for decades been calling for more protected bike lanes and other infrastructure that makes it safe for people to ride e-bikes on city streets and not on sidewalks. Requiring all powered bikes, scooters, and other devices including motorized wheelchairs to be registered would be “expensive, difficult to enforce, prejudicial and practically useless.”
Other cities that have attempted bike registration programs have ended them, Stuart points out. “Registration mandates are notoriously difficult to enforce at almost every level of government. The federal government intended Real IDs to be the FAA standard in 2008, but the program suffered from low compliance, even with the full muscle of state DMVs and the specter of not being able to fly. Today, only 56 percent of Americans have converted, 19 years after the original goal of 100 percent.”
FULL STORY: Op-Ed: Council E-Bike Registration Bill Is Impossible to Enforce, Unnecessary … and Won’t Even Work

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.

Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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