Midway became the first government in the Heber Valley to adopt formal e-bike rules when it added an ordinance in November 2024.
Unlike in neighboring Summit County, where there’s an across-the-board speed limit of 15 miles per hour, Midway opted not to set a speed limit. Instead, the town lets police use their best judgment about “reckless or hazardous” riding.
At an interlocal meeting of Wasatch County governments Wednesday night, April 9, Midway Mayor Celeste Johnson encouraged other local leaders to build on what her town started to create similar e-bike guidelines for the whole region.
“I think uniformity is pretty critical,” she said. “As we’ve talked to the officers that are patrolling now in Midway, we’ve gotten their input, and they’re saying, if they know that the laws are the same everywhere, it’s going to be a piece of cake for them.”
Johnson said enforcement could mean speeding tickets or, for younger riders, confiscating the bike.
Scott House is a Heber resident and a member of the Wasatch Trails Foundation board. He said enforcement will help curb reckless riders pretty quickly.
“Speaking from experience, once a 14-year-old pushes a dirt bike home with the sheriff following them with their lights on, them and all their friends will no longer participate in that activity,” he said, to laughs from the room.
He said community gatherings this summer are a good opportunity to educate about e-bike etiquette.
“It just takes time for people to gather that information and digest it,” he said. “And the more that we put it in front of them – concerts at the park, any events we’re doing in Midway, Swiss Days – those are great opportunities just to have that information available for the public. And the more people that see it, the more it gets picked up by the community.”
House said with time, trail users self-enforce rules, for example, reminding other bikers to slow down for pedestrians or yield to horses.
Leaders said they will create handouts about e-bike rules for local bike shops and community events.
In the meantime, Heber City could soon follow Midway’s lead and adopt an e-bike ordinance. It’s scheduled for discussion on April 15.
