COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Cocoa Beach is reminding e-bike riders to slow down along a busy sidewalk near two schools after residents raised concerns about riders traveling at high speeds.
New signs were posted this week along Minutemen Causeway as the new school year begins. The pathway is frequently used by students, families, pedestrians and cyclists, particularly before and after school.
Josh Peeler, who lives nearby, said he walks along the pathway with his family and dogs every day.
“The school is right up the street, so in the evenings when they are letting out it can be quite busy,” Peeler said.
Cocoa Beach High School and Roosevelt Middle School are located near the pathway. Residents say they have seen e-bike riders traveling quickly through the area and said older residents have been struck by e-bikes in the past.
“There’s definitely an older population that are biking and riding around and there’s the high school kids and families like our age,” Peeler said. “It’s a quite a good mix.”
The city says officers will be out along Minutemen Causeway starting this week. Officials say the goal is not to issue tickets but to educate riders about the rules and encourage safer behavior.
That includes slowing down around pedestrians and giving an audible warning before passing someone on the sidewalk.
Peeler said he supports the city’s approach.
“I agree just the monitoring and educating the kids,” he said. “I don’t think we need to be writing tickets for their speeding, but I think to avoid any serious accidents, I think it’s a good idea to have the education out there.”
Residents say they hope the new signs and increased education will help prevent crashes and make the pathway safer for everyone.
“I hope the outcome is no accidents ever,” Peeler said. “That’s the goal.”
Cocoa Beach officials say officers will continue focusing on education and making sure e-bike riders understand the safety rules rather than immediately issuing fines.