January 2026: Project Updates: Which Wheels Go Where?

At the Sept. 23, 2025 City Council Work Session, Council members discussed the “Which Wheels Go Where?” project.

During the discussion Council members shared the following feedback:

• Support for simplifying rules and updating them to reflect changes in vehicle technology and safety education needs.
• Interest in maintaining clarity while avoiding excessive simplification.
• Acknowledgment of outreach efforts, including trail safety education yard signs and engagement with multiple City advisory boards.
• Recognition of trade-offs between accommodating a wider range of vehicle types and maintaining safety and comfort for all users.
• Input that larger and faster vehicles should carry greater responsibility than smaller vehicles and pedestrians.
• Observation that it can be difficult to distinguish between e-bikes and low-power electric motorcycles in the field.
• Questions about how low-power electric scooters should be accommodated within the transportation network.
• Concern that the existing downtown dismount zone ordinance may not be consistently enforced.
• Interest in reviewing speed limits and enforcement for vehicle types and speeds on paved trails, particularly for Class 3 e-bikes and low-power electric scooters, in conjunction with safety education efforts.

City staff is working on drafting an ordinance for City Council consideration in 2026. The ordinance will propose updates to traffic and municipal codes to clarify and update rules governing the use of human-powered and lightweight electric vehicles on sidewalks, streets and paved trails.

Before bringing a draft to Council, staff will seek additional feedback and recommendations from City advisory boards.

Updates will be posted to the project webpage when they become available.