Riders will be required to use a bike lane or the street and travel no faster than 20 mph. Miami Police Chief Edwin Lopez said officers could issue $100 citations for violations, though he described fines as a last resort and said the city would first seek compliance through education.

The measure was spearheaded by Commissioner Rolando Escalona, who worked with Lopez to draw attention to crashes involving the vehicles at a busy Miami intersection. The vote follows several e-bike and scooter incidents in South Florida, including a fatal hit-and-run earlier this month. A 26-year-old man was killed near Northwest Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street.

Some residents welcomed the change. Johnathan Barahona, who walks to work, said he is tired of having to watch for scooters and e-bikes approaching from behind on sidewalks.

Matthew Gultanoff, who spoke to commissioners, raised questions about where the rule applies, asking officials to clarify how it relates to roads controlled by the city versus county or state agencies.

E-bikes and scooters remain a common form of transportation in South Florida. The new restriction changes where riders may operate them within Miami, while the city’s planned education-first approach will shape how the rule is enforced.