City Council committee approves ordinance regulating motorized foot scooters
In response to the rapid growth of shared motorized foot scooter networks, the City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committee passed an ordinance amendment today requiring the sharing networks to obtain a license agreement with the City and follow rules for parking in the right of way.
The full City Council will vote on the ordinance amendment Friday, July 20.
State law already regulates how low power vehicles like foot scooters operate in the street. The City’s proposed regulatory framework is intended to be welcoming to new transportation options like motorized foot scooters, but requires networks to operate in an organized manner consistent with City rules.
Currently, the City has authority to remove scooters found unattended and blocking traffic or public infrastructure, or otherwise compromising public safety. The new ordinance framework will provide more specific guidance to operators and the public about local rules for scooter sharing in the public right of way, including on City sidewalks.
“We are inviting new modality and innovation in transportation in Minneapolis,” said City Council Member Kevin Reich, chair of the Transportation and Public Works Committee. “We want to have a really good system in place for these new transportation options and urge operators to work with us to keep our streets safe for everyone.”
Published Jul 10, 2018
