#NYC’s law legalizing e-scooters officially goes into effect on Monday

In what may be news to electric scooter riders who have been flooding Big Apple streets for months now — the devices will officially become legal Monday, under laws passed by the City Council months ago.

The council had voted on June 25 to allow e-scooters that can travel up to 20 mph and bicycles with electric motors that can travel up to 25 mph across New York City, in a win for food delivery workers and transportation advocates.

Councilman Fernando Cabrera (D-The Bronx), the main sponsor of the legislation, at the time hailed it as making “great strides toward achieving transit equity, social justice, accessibility and environmental protection.”

The city had already stopped cracking down on the devices during the pandemic.

Another bill passed by the council in June required the Department of Transportation to set up a Citi Bike-style e-scooter share pilot program outside of Manhattan, which is expected to launch in March.

E-scooter companies including Lime, Bird, Lyft and Spin are expected to compete for spots in the city’s program.

Some officials have expressed worries about the safety of e-scooters — one of which even side-swiped Mayor Bill de Blasio in September.