Scooters, electric bikes now allowed on Spokane Valley Trails

As electrical scooters and bikes turn into extra in style throughout the area, Spokane Valley Metropolis Council voted Tuesday to permit them entry to trails and sidewalks when bike lanes aren’t accessible, so long as their customers don’t journey at unsafe speeds.

Town of Spokane Valley is presently permitting scooter- and bike-share corporations to function independently. Whereas the town doesn’t have a franchise settlement with a type of corporations as the town of Spokane does, Spokane Valley leaders mentioned scooters and electrical bikes are rising in popularity and the town wanted to replace its rules to adapt.

“This was an try to modernize our rules with what’s occurring in the actual world,” Wick mentioned.

“Motorized private transportation units,” which incorporates electrical bikes, skateboards and scooters, won’t be allowed in parks however will probably be allowed on Appleway Path and the Centennial Path so long as the system’s velocity doesn’t exceed 15 mph. They’re additionally allowed in metropolis park parking heaps.

Metropolis Councilman Arne Woodard mentioned it was necessary to permit scooters or electrical bicycles to journey on these trails to maintain them off high-traffic and harmful roads.

“So long as they abide by the foundations, I’m keen to (permit them) on the Appleway Path,” he mentioned. “That’s why we constructed it, so folks can keep off busy arterials.”

Councilwoman Linda Thompson and Councilman Tim Hattenburg mentioned it was additionally necessary to ensure trails are accessible for everybody. She mentioned some who might wish to use the path and like to bike might have the help of a motor, and it might be unfair to exclude them.

Each mentioned that they had heard from constituents who anxious the town’s present rules barred them from taking full benefit of latest expertise that might assist them use the paths.

The Metropolis Council additionally voted to permit motorized private transportation units on any sidewalk in metropolis limits if there isn’t a motorbike lane, pedestrians all the time have the proper of manner and the system doesn’t exceed 10 mph.

Scooters should not allowed to function on roads with velocity limits above 25 mph, until they’re in a motorbike lane. There was not an exception for bike lanes included within the metropolis’s earlier code.

The Metropolis Council additionally up to date parking guidelines requiring parked electrical scooters and bikes not impede sidewalks and permits the town to cost bike- and scooter-share corporations with a visitors offense if private motorized transportation units owned by them are parked incorrectly.

Metropolis spokesman Jeff Kleingartner mentioned the corporate offering these companies in Spokane, Lime, mentioned a contract with metropolis leaders, however the metropolis determined to permit all corporations to function independently.