'They're going to get killed': Village of Lewiston concerned about youth on e-bikes

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

A rash of underage e-bike riders has leaders in Lewiston afraid someone is going to get injured – or worse.

“We're having issues with kids under the age of 16 with these e-bikes hopping wheelies in front of cars, and cutting cars off, and other illegal things that are going to end up getting somebody killed,” Lewiston Police Department Chief Michael Salada said at Monday’s Village Board meeting. “Those are our very top of the list of concerns right now.”

E-bikes have been seen along Center Street, down Fourth Street, and on sidewalks, amongst other places.

Mayor Anne Welch said, “I know it's against the law for any bikes to be on the sidewalks. However, as a parent and grandparent, I don't want to see young kids on Center Street for that reason, because it's dangerous. But it's not the kids pedaling along Center Street. It's these e-bikes that are causing the problems. And if they're going to ride their e-bikes, they're going to have to stay on the side streets or something, if they can't do Center Street.

“But it's just getting out of hand, and they're going to get hurt. It's more them getting hurt than anything else.”

She said, “I know it's very annoying to have them speeding down our sidewalks … and being careless. People are trying to walk on the sidewalks.”

Salada said, “There's a lot of laws surrounding them, including kids under the age of 16 can't be operating them. And with the problems that we're having, it's just going to come down to, eventually, we’ll have to start impounding and other ways to get the message across.”

Lewiston resident Dan Cota said, “I totally agree getting off the sidewalk is imperative. But right now, Center Street is a mess, as far as a cyclist is concerned.

“The law states that a cyclist, when they ride in the street, is allowed 3 to 4 feet from the car door. So, that puts them right in the middle of the lane in Center Street when they're riding up and down.

“If you look at the drivers on Center Street, when a bicyclist is in the road, it is not just rudeness – it's outright hostility towards them.

“I'd like to see, as far as enforcement goes, that takes that into account also, and realizes that these cars are being very belligerent and aggressive towards the riders when they are doing the right thing – and that is what's forcing a lot of them onto the sidewalks; because we don't feel safe in the street.”

Cota added, “There needs to be some sort of holistic plan for the village to accommodate all of the pedestrians and bike splits and everything else.”

Welch said, “We did try to put a bike lane on Center Street, but we did not have the square footage to do it. We have bike lanes that are down Mohawk and out down Ninth Street to Mohawk, and along the bike path to Pletcher, also to come down Cayuga Street.”

Cota suggested, “If there was no parking on the righthand side of that road, on Ninth (Street), and it was just a dedicated bike lane, you’d be keeping them out of the traffic lanes, out of the traffic completely.”

Salada said, “The individuals the mayor is talking about, and then I'm talking about, are the ones who are on the bicycles completely disregarding the fact of motorized traffic on the road. Those are the ones we're most concerned about. If you're a law-abiding person on your bicycle riding, we haven't seen many problems with them. It's the ones who are. …”

“They’re abusing it,” Welch said.

“In my personal vehicle, driving down Center Street, I've had somebody doing a wheelie in front of my car,” Salada said. “You're going to get killed. I mean, it's going to happen. It's happened in other places, and I just don't want to see it happen here.”

Clerk Shannon Fundis said, “It's a step-by-step process, and it takes time. And Mike has been looking into the laws and what he can do and what he can't do. Again, this is a very new thing. This is very fresh with everybody. This is probably the first summer we've seen an excessive amount; and the problem, 100%, is the kids playing chicken with me in the middle of the road, and zigzagging in front of me. It is the kids darting across the street and not paying attention. I don't have to worry about just hitting them, I have to worry about my children in the car and potentially hitting them, and my kids seeing that.”

“They're not legal on the bike, period, because we're talking about kids who are under the age of 16,” Salada said. “An e-bike, the law says that they cannot operate under the age of 16.”

Welch said, “We're trying to keep people safe, that's all. And the young kids that are doing this are abusing driving the bike. There's other people that are perfectly fine riding the bike, but then you've got these young kids that are doing that, that they're going to get killed. I don't want that to happen.”

See related.

Graphic courtesy of the Lewiston Police Department.

••••••••

In other news from the municipal meeting:

•Salada reported the LPD received an approval letter from the Department of Homeland Security for $50,000 in funding for safety barricades to be used with large-scale Center Street events.

The fish-cleaning station.

••••••••

•The board OK’d installing a $5 flat-rate fee for those using the fish-cleaning station on North Water Street, with oversight by the harbormaster.

The service will remain free for charter captains, dock slipholders, and those who pay a boat launch fee.

Superintendent Anthony Mang said people come from as far as Erie County to use Lewiston’s fish-cleaning station because it’s free – but free also means a lack of dedicated funding for maintenance.

“It’s a very costly facility,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Vic Eydt said it was north of $15,000 to renovate the fish-cleaning station last winter.

A new “No Smoking” sign at Academy Park in the Village of Lewiston.

••••••••

•The DPW has installed “No Smoking” signs in Academy Park, at Hennepin Park, and at the waterfront to remind patrons (and event organizers) of the state law regarding smoking and vaping.

•Trustees approved a facilities use request from Rachel Jolbert for use of Academy Park to hold the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market on Saturdays, May 31 through Oct. 27, 2026 (save Peach Festival week), and for use of the pavilion on June 27 and Oct. 10.

•Board members also approved a request from Native Connection Inc. to use Academy Park to host the annual Rhythm & Roots Festival on Saturday, July 25, 2026.