Cary’s easygoing greenways have become the latest battleground in the electric bike boom, as town leaders weigh a crackdown on fast, reckless riding by teenagers after months of complaints from neighbors and trail users.
Residents say inexperienced teens on high-powered e-bikes are tearing through neighborhood streets and greenways, spooking walkers and runners and making shared spaces feel a lot less safe. Now town officials are debating whether education, enforcement or a new ordinance is the right tool to slow things down.
Police response and a neighborhood operation
Police have responded to more than 219 calls involving e-bikes since January 2025, according to ABC11. The volume of calls has put the issue firmly on town leaders’ radar.
In a post on his Mayor Weinbrecht's blog, Mayor Harold Weinbrecht shared a police update describing a focused operation near the Morris Branch Greenway. Officers placed a camera trailer on Yates Store Road and executed a search warrant on April 26. Three e-bikes were seized, and two parents were cited, while the juvenile rider involved is expected to face traffic petitions.
What Cary leaders are weighing
On the policy side, the council is torn between leaning harder on education or on enforcement.
“There’s different approaches we can take,” Councilmember Brittany Richards said as the council discussed possible next steps, according to ABC11. Education campaigns, parent outreach and retailer guidance are all on the table, as are clearer rules and penalties.
Councilmember Sarika Bansal told colleagues she “almost got hit by an e-bike” on a trail, underscoring that even elected officials are feeling the squeeze on the greenways. Neighbors like Frances Milks have urged the town to spell out rules so pedestrians and cyclists know what to expect and so police have something concrete to enforce.
Examples nearby and how state law matters
Cary does not have to look far for a template. Nearby Holly Springs adopted an ordinance last month that sets speed limits on greenways, requires riders to yield to pedestrians and authorizes fines and even impoundment for repeat violations, as reported by WRAL.
Any local rules in Cary also have to fit inside North Carolina’s statewide framework. The state defines an “electric assisted bicycle” as having a motor no greater than 750 watts and a top motor-powered speed of 20 mph. Anything above those thresholds can be treated as a motor-driven cycle, potentially requiring a license and registration, according to an NCDOT micromobility report.
Enforcement trade-offs
Mayor Weinbrecht has warned that jumping straight to a detailed ordinance could raise tough enforcement questions and strain police resources. The town would have to decide how far officers should go in chasing down teens on bikes, and how much time and money to devote to patrols on greenways versus other priorities.
Cary officers have already stepped up targeted tactics, including the camera trailer deployment and neighborhood follow-ups tied to specific complaints. Town officials, though, say enforcement alone is unlikely to solve the problem without help from parents and retailers who sell the bikes.
Legal implications
One wrinkle is that some popular off-the-shelf e-bikes sold online are marketed as bicycles but, under state law, actually qualify as mopeds or motor-driven cycles when their motors or top assisted speeds exceed legal e-bike limits. That distinction can expose parents to citations if minors operate unlicensed vehicles on public streets.
The NCDOT guidance notes that while municipalities can regulate the time, place and manner of use on local streets and greenways, the core vehicle classifications and licensing requirements are set at the state level and enforced through DMV rules.
What’s next
Cary councilmembers say the issue will return at a future meeting as residents continue to press for clearer rules on trails and neighborhood streets.
For now, the town is planning a blend of targeted enforcement and public outreach while officials decide whether tighter regulation, stepped-up education or a mix of both will best keep riders and pedestrians safe on Cary’s streets and greenways.
