New policy on electric bikes at Acadia stirs debate

Courtesy / Friends of Acadia Visitors enjoy a ranger-guided bike tour on a carriage road in Acadia National Park.

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By Staff

Friends of Acadia, a Bar Harbor-based nonprofit that works to protect the national park on Mount Desert Island, is questioning a new National Park Service policy that allows electric motorized bicycles anywhere regular bikes are permitted.

With a few narrow exceptions, motorized vehicles have not been allowed on Acadia National Park’s more than 50 miles of gravel carriage roads, according to a news release from the group this week.

“Friends of Acadia has concerns about the new Department of Interior policy statement that would broadly allow electric motorized bicycles (e-bikes) in national parks, including on Acadia’s carriage roads,” David MacDonald, president of the organization, said in the release.

“It is extremely challenging to apply a national-level policy like this within 30 days across hundreds of unique national park units, each with its own history and special features."

The carriage roads were conceived, constructed and donated to become part of Acadia specifically for non-motorized use, the release said.

“While we applaud the fact that e-bikes open up recreational opportunities to new audiences and we support the current Acadia policy of allowing them on the park motor roads, FOA believes that the park would benefit from a broader community conversation and a chance to hear from the public, including carriage road users — walkers, equestrians, traditional bicyclists — before determining whether this directive must be implemented as is, or whether it can be waived, modified, or scaled back to best apply here at Acadia,” MacDonald said.

The National Park Service announced the new e-bike policy for its parks on Aug. 30. The policy is expected to expand recreational opportunities and accessibility, according to the service’s news release, and aims to provide more consistency with the state rules where park units are located.

E-bikes are low-speed electric bicycles with power assistance. They provide an option for people who want to ride a bicycle but might not otherwise do so because of physical fitness, age, disability or convenience, especially at high altitudes or in hilly or strenuous terrain, according to the release.