Electric-assist bikes, electric scooters and electric skateboards will soon beregulated in the same way as conventional bikes in Iowa City.
A proposed ordinance was introducedat the Iowa City Council's regular meeting Tuesday in the midst of the city's negotiations with a vendor planning to launch a bike-share program this fall.
A contract and the vendor will be announced very soon, according to Darian Nagle-Gamm, the city's director of transportation services.
"You're going to see more cyclists on the road," she said. "Be aware that bikes have all the rights as any vehicle and you want to pass with care."
Nagle-Gamm said the city chose to go with electric-assist bikes as they've shown to be very popular in cities across the country.She described e-bikesas giving users a boost that's proportional to the amount of power the user puts to the pedal.