E-bike accident renews calls for greater bicycle safety in Corry

CORRY — A Corry resident’s account of being injured in an e-bike collision brought renewed attention to bicycle and e-bike safety during Monday night’s City Council work session. Carrie Lipinski told council about an incident at the end of July in which she was struck by an e-bike while walking her dog near Associated Spring.

Lipinski said she regularly walks her dog through the city and has encountered bicycles and e-bikes traveling on sidewalks. She said children generally move aside or stop, but she has had more problems with adults who do not give pedestrians adequate room.

“The kids are really good,” Lipinski said. “It’s the adults that don’t care.”

Lipinski said the cyclist who struck her was traveling faster than she realized. She was thrown from the sidewalk toward the curb and suffered a broken rib, internal injuries and continuing soft-tissue injuries. She said she was unable to return fully to her computer-based job because she could not sit for extended periods and had lost wages as a result.

Lipinski said the cyclist stopped after the crash and called an ambulance. She was able to take a photograph of him with her phone, which she said allowed police to identify him. She said charges were filed in the case.

Lipinski said she would like to see more police presence involving bicycles, even if the primary purpose is education.

“I’d like to see them around a little bit more,” she said. “If nothing else, just to educate people.”

She also expressed concern about the potential consequences if an e-bike struck a child or an older person, noting that e-bikes can be substantially heavier than conventional bicycles.

Mayor Jeffrey Fike said the city is dealing with an issue that is occurring in communities across the country. He noted the weight and speed of e-bikes can result in significant injuries.

Fike also said regulations governing e-bikes and other motorized devices are continuing to develop. Police Chief Jordon Kitchen said state legislation and court cases are addressing questions including when police can seize an e-bike and how officers can determine whether a particular machine legally qualifies as an e-bike.

Streets Director Charles Gray raised another enforcement challenge: determining the specifications of an individual machine. She questioned how an officer could know simply by looking at a vehicle whether it exceeds the 750-watt motor or 100-pound weight limits without having the necessary equipment to test it.

Kitchen said police already frequently stop and cite bicycle and e-bike riders, although enforcement remains difficult because of the changing technology and legal standards.

Officials also discussed whether residents could assist by photographing apparent violations. Kitchen said photographs could be useful if residents are willing to provide them to police.

William Roche suggested that city officials responsible for police and streets meet to discuss what additional steps could be taken, including a possible public education effort.

The e-bike discussion also followed the council’s August decision to install regulation signs on the city-owned portion of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail.

Another resident, Sheri Taylor, started the e-bike discussion asking about signs around downtown prohibiting rollerblading, bicycles, scooters and skateboards on sidewalks. Officials said at least some of the signs date back to the early 2000s and may have been installed in response to damage caused by skateboarders.

Taylor also questioned whether recent changes to city zoning regulations might permit increased residential use of upper floors in downtown buildings. She noted seeing air-conditioning units operating in several upper-floor spaces.

Officials explained that some downtown buildings have historically contained apartments. Under existing zoning provisions, residential uses that predate the current zoning ordinance may continue as existing nonconforming uses, while certain new combinations of residential and commercial use could require a special exception.

Taylor said her concern centered on whether upper-floor residential spaces meet safety requirements, particularly in the event of a fire.

Officials said some of those issues may fall under building code requirements. Fire protection, including sprinkler systems in certain circumstances, was also discussed.

Public Works preparing for fall

Public Works Director Mark Leofsky said the department has remained busy throughout the summer while operating with a reduced staff and handling multiple projects.

He said crews were continuing work on West Main Street near Route 77, with plans to pave one lane and remove the other lane’s existing surface, weather permitting. The goal is to complete the work and reopen the roadway before winter.

Leofsky said the department’s street, water and sewer crews regularly assist one another as priorities change.

“We put out fires every day,” Leofsky said, explaining that planned work can quickly be interrupted by an unexpected problem elsewhere in the city.

With fall approaching, he said the department is preparing for brush pickup, hydrant flushing, leaf collection and snow operations. The city’s salt supply has been ordered and a sand pile is already available.

The city also expects to remove a fire siren from the roof of the Corry Fabrication building in the coming week so roof work can be completed before the siren is returned.

Fire Department reports steady activity

Public Safety Director Andrew Sproveri praised new Fire Chief Christopher Lyon for taking over the department and working to move it forward.

Lyon reported steady medical call activity, along with several false alarms, but no recent fires. He also said Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Card has been making progress on code enforcement matters.

Liquid Fuels audit finds city in compliance

Council will review the city’s 2025 Liquid Fuels Tax Fund compliance audit conducted by the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s office.

The audit covered the period from January through December 2025 and found that Corry complied with applicable PennDOT requirements. The audit reported $211,211.65 in expenditures from the fund, including $190,000 for highway construction and resurfacing projects and $21,211.65 in winter maintenance services.

The fund ended 2025 with a balance of $19,667.88. The audit also noted that the city had complied with a recommendation from the previous audit concerning reassessment of fiscal needs and investment of excess funds.

The 2025 Liquid Fuels audit is included on the agenda for council’s Sept. 21 regular meeting.

Mitchell discusses Municipal League role

Former Mayor and current City Controller David Mitchell discussed the upcoming Pennsylvania Municipal League meetings in October. Mitchell said he plans to attend and meet with legislators regarding issues affecting the city.

He encouraged council members to review nine resolutions being considered by the league and provide any comments they want him to carry forward.

Mitchell said the Municipal League serves as an important lobbying voice for municipalities that cannot afford their own lobbyist. He also encouraged greater participation by Western Pennsylvania municipalities, saying the region needs to make sure its interests are represented when state legislation is developed.

Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Community Center. A CDBG public hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. that evening.