Riverhead considers e-bike rules, water main extension and fireworks permits

Riverhead moved closer to rewriting its electric bike rules with a proposal that would give police power to impound violators, send cases to the town attorney’s office for prosecution in Justice Court and cap electric-assist bicycle speed at 20 mph. The draft local law would also extend the town’s existing electric-scooter rules to electric-assist bicycles and allow class one and class two e-bikes on the Veterans Memorial Trail.

The proposal reflects a long-running Suffolk County debate over whether e-bikes are a practical transportation tool or a safety problem on shared public space. Bruce Kagan of Wading River argued that class two e-bikes can help riders who need throttle assistance, especially when starting from a stop or traveling longer distances. Council Member Ken Rothwell said the issue has also come up with senior citizens who depend on electric assist, a point that helped steer Riverhead away from the broad restrictions that were first floated before being tabled in October 2025.

Riverhead had already revised the proposal in April after consulting the senior citizens advisory committee and the alternative transportation advisory committee. That rewrite narrowed the focus toward enforcement against underage, reckless and intoxicated riders, while Police Chief Ed Frost had warned that illegal electric dirt bikes were becoming more common around town, especially among teens. The June 2 hearing kept that emphasis on enforcement, with the town looking to use impoundment, Justice Court prosecutions and fines that would go into the town general fund as the practical tools behind the rule.

The e-bike hearing was one of two public hearings opened on June 2, and both were left open for written comment for 10 days. The board also advanced a water main extension for a planned Aquebogue subdivision, approved fireworks permits, ratified U.S. Open parking and transportation operations for Calverton Enterprise Park and accepted donations tied to the Peconic Hockey Foundation ice rink. Riverhead’s June schedule shows another Town Board meeting set for June 16 at 6 p.m., while the town’s agenda and minutes portal continues to keep archived meeting materials, livestreams and video available for residents tracking the final shape of the e-bike law.