Council Adopts E-Bike Park Ban, Hears Plans for Iron Horse Bicycle Expressway

Danville's Town Council unanimously banned e-bikes and scooters from all Town parks, capping a two-year resident push for action, then turned to a pair of generational trail investments — a bicycle expressway on the Iron Horse Trail and a 30-year gap closure on Diablo Road — that could reshape how the San Ramon Valley moves on two wheels and two feet. The July 7 meeting was also the first held under a new state law requiring live broadcast and Zoom public participation.

• E-bike ban adopted unanimously on second reading after four residents demanded strict enforcement; staff launching education blitz with schools before Aug. 13
• Iron Horse Trail bicycle expressway pilot unveiled by County Supervisor Candace Andersen; first phase 65% designed, targeting 2027 construction
• Diablo Road Trail clears PG&E and wildlife hurdles, with pole replacement set for July 22 and 71 working days remaining in a tight creek construction window
• Street Smarts program expanded e-bike education to over 12,000 students across 30 schools, adding Danville's new ordinance to its curriculum
• Youth Ride Free transit program surges from 1,600 to nearly 27,000 student riders, even as transit funding faces statewide pressure
• Transit union president calls on Council to advocate for County Connection operating funds

Why it matters: After two years of resident complaints about reckless riding on park paths — and with state e-bike legislation stalled — Danville acted on its own, giving police a bright-line rule: bikes of any kind are now prohibited in Town parks.