Press Release: Contact: Pressley.Press@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL), co-chairs of the Congressional Bike Caucus, introduced the Bikeshare Transit Act of 2019, bipartisan legislation that supports local bikeshare programs by helping communities across the country access federal funds for bikeshare facilities and equipment.

Last week, MassBike put out a call for your help, to join in the conversation on e-bikes and submit your comments to the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation in regards to their proposed regulations that would pertain to pedal-assist bicycles.

We appreciate the desire for the DCR to allow Class-1 Pedal-Assist Electric Bicycles on improved trails over 8' wide (like rail trails). However, we disagree with the proposal to prohibit the use of pedal-assist bikes on "improved DCR trails that are less than 8 feet in width, dirt roads that are not open to vehicular traffic, and any natural surface trails, regardless of width or other conditions," and compiled our feedback for the DCR to review.

You can learn more about these proposal amendments to DCR policies here (CMR 302 11.00) and here (CMR 302 12.00) and more about e-bikes on our website here.

We received several hundred responses in support of our call to action and we greatly appreciate your support and your comments. It makes a difference! We were thrilled to hear so many stories from so many of you about why access for e-bikes is important for you and your family. Thank you to all of you who provided comments on this topic and sent your feedback to the DCR.

As we put out the call for your support and letters, we also wrote our own. You can read the full text of that letter below: