SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane city council approved changes to city code in preparation for the launch of the "shared mobility program," where people can rent bikes or electric scooters through an app.
The program is expected to launch the week of May 13th, and there are some changes this time around.
Everyone is still required to wear helmets, except for adult bike or scooter app-base rental users. The city is still requiring future vendors to provide helmet usage education, rather than requiring them to provide the helmets.
Electric scooters are now prohibited from downtown city sidewalks. This only applies when riding a scooter within the downtown core boundaries.
When you're riding an electric scooter on downtown city streets, the city has also upped the speed limit to 30 miles per hour from 25 miles per hour.
The city is still discussing plans to implement a separate speed limit for electric scooters in Riverfront Park or on the Centennial Trial within city limits.
Depending on the vendor, the scooter's GPS system can recognize when it's in an area with a designated speed limit and only go that speed. Check back on KREM.com for updates.