Sandy adds signs at Dimple Dell to curb e-bike confusion

Sandy is putting new signs into Dimple Dell Regional Park as complaints mount over fast-riding e-bikes, illegal e-motorcycles and the growing confusion between the two. The move comes after city officials saw more reports of riders cutting across sidewalks and trails too quickly, raising safety concerns in a park where hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders share the same space.

Jeff Nigbur, Sandy’s interim police chief, said the complaints had centered on high-speed electric bicycles and electric motorcycles, often with younger riders weaving in and out of traffic. Dimple Dell’s scale makes those conflicts harder to ignore: the 630-acre regional park has more than 15 miles of trails and sits at 10600 South 1300 East in Sandy, according to Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation. In a place built around shared use, one bad ride can spill into every user group at once.

The new signs are meant to make the line clearer. Class 1 and class 2 e-bikes are generally allowed where regular bicycles are allowed, but e-motorcycles are not. Utah guidance says devices over 750 watts or capable of speeds above 20 mph without pedaling are classified as e-motorcycles, not e-bikes, and class 3 e-bikes are illegal for riders under 16. State materials also say children ages 8 to 14 must be accompanied by an adult when riding an e-bike.

Nigbur also pointed to the rules that govern e-motorcycles in Utah: a driver license, a motorcycle endorsement, insurance and registration. Under House Bill 381, which took effect on May 6, 2026, riders under 21 must wear helmets on public roads, and officers may impound devices if a minor is violating safety laws. Materials posted by Murray City say parents or guardians who knowingly let an under-18 rider break e-device law can be fined.

The enforcement push is coming after riders and neighbors described close calls on the trail system. In March, Sandy resident Shelley Kirkham Peck said she and others had nearly been run over by fast-riding e-bikes. Another resident, Heather Dupaix, said she was hit by an e-motorcycle on a trail. Sandy police said they planned to start with education, but warnings, citations and even impoundment remain on the table if reckless riding continues.

Mayor Monica Zoltanski framed the effort as a matter of shared responsibility, not a rejection of recreation. At Dimple Dell, where the trails were built for careful coexistence, the new signs are meant to make that expectation visible before the next fast ride turns into another near-miss.