City Council seeks feedback on proposed alternative transportation ordinance

The Nezperce City Council is considering an ordinance that would cover the use of bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, golf carts and other alternative modes of transportation.

Council members are encouraging residents to provide feedback on the following proposed ordinance:

CITY OF NEZPERCE ORDINANCE NO. 2026-04

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NEZPERCE, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF IDAHO, PROVIDING FOR THE ENACTMENT OF NEZPERCE CITY CODE SECTION 73; PROVIDING FOR BIKE, E-BIKE, SXS, GOLF CART, ELECTRIC SCOOTER, AND ALTERNATIVE ELECTRIC MOTORED VEHICLES USE WITHIN CITY LIMITS.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEZPERCE, IDAHO, AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1: NEZPERCE CITY CODE SECTION 73 IS HEREBY ENACTED AND READS AS FOLLOWS:

73.02: TRAFFIC LAWS APPLY TO PERSONS RIDING BICYCLES, E-BIKES, AND ALTERNATIVE ELECTRIC MOTORED VEHICLES: A. Every person, regardless of age, who operates a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, Golf Cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle upon a roadway, public parking lot, sidewalk, bicycle path, bicycle lane or other public vehicular right of way in the city of Nezperce shall be granted the same rights and shall be subject to the same responsibilities applicable to a motor vehicle operator by the laws of the state of Idaho, and the provisions of this title not in conflict with and as authorized under Idaho Code title 49, except where provisions of those laws and ordinances by their very nature can have no application to bicycles, or where portions of this chapter direct otherwise.

73.03: REQUIRED EQUIPMENT: No person shall operate a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle without the following equipment: A. Brakes capable of causing the bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle to stop within twenty-five feet (25’) at ten (10) miles per hour on dry, level, clean pavement. B. A bell, the human voice, or other audible warning device capable of being heard at least one hundred feet (100’), except that no bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle shall be equipped, nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle. C. When in use at nighttime, a red reflector on the rear visible from a distance of three hundred feet (300’) when directly in front of lawful upper beams of a motor vehicle, and a forward facing white light attached either to the bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle or the operator which is visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet (500’) in front of the bicycle. A bicycle, e-bike, SXS, electric scooter, or other electrically powered vehicle shall be equipped with a front-facing white or yellow reflector when the operator uses a generator-powered light, which is unlit when stopped.

73.04: RIDING ON BICYCLES, E-BIKES, SXS, GOLF CARTS, ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, AND ALTERNATIVE ELECTRIC MOTORED VEHICLES: A. No person riding or operating a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf carts, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle shall ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto. B. No bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf carts, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped. C. Every person operating a bicycle shall always keep at least one hand on the handlebars, and shall carry nothing which prevents full control of the bicycle or obstructs

73.05: CLINGING TO VEHICLES: Persons riding or operating bicycles, e-bikes, or alternative electric motor vehicles shall not attach themselves or such bicycles to a moving vehicle. This section shall not prohibit attaching a trailer device to a bicycle, e-bike, electric scooter, or an alternative electric-motored vehicle that is designed to accommodate such a device. 73.06: RIDING ON ROADWAYS: A. No person shall operate a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle on a roadway against the flow of motorized traffic, except where permitted by official signs or pavement markings. B. Every person operating a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle upon a two-way roadway that does not contain a bicycle lane is entitled to use the lane appropriate for the intended destination, including the right-hand lane. The operator shall proceed in the same direction of travel as other vehicles authorized to use that lane. On one-way roadways, a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or other electrically powered vehicle may be operated in any existing lane.

73.07: RIDING ON SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS: A. Riding a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle on the sidewalk is prohibited. Apart from small children under age 10.

73.08: SPEED LIMIT: Persons riding bicycles, e-bikes, SXS, golf carts, electric scooters, or alternative electric motor vehicles shall operate at a safe and appropriate speed, equal to or less than twenty (20) miles per hour.

73.09: TURN SIGNALS: The operator of a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle intending to turn shall signal his/her intent to turn with the appropriate hand and arm signal at least one hundred feet (100’) prior to turning. The hand signal need not be continuous.

73.10: RIDING IN GROUPS: Persons riding bicycles or electric scooters shall not ride more than two (2) abreast except upon bicycle paths of twelve feet (12’) or more. Bicyclists operating two (2) abreast upon a roadway or bicycle path shall return to a single file configuration when a vehicle approaches from behind in the same lane.

73.11: PARKING: Bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters, or other electric-motorized vehicles shall be parked using designated bicycle racks. In the event bicycle racks are not available, bicycles shall be parked in such a manner as not to obstruct or impede the movement of pedestrians, motor vehicles, or other bicycles, or cause damage to trees, shrubs, or other living plants. 73.12: RECKLESS OPERATION: A person who uses or rides a bicycle, e-bike, SXS, golf cart, electric scooter, or alternative electric motored vehicle on a sidewalk, street, roadway, highway or any public or private property open to public use, carelessly and heedlessly, or without due caution and circumspection, or at such a speed or in any other manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or property shall be guilty of reckless operation.

73.13: VIOLATION; PENALTY: Unless otherwise provided, any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fixed penalty and court costs set forth in the Idaho infraction rules for pedestrian and bicycle, e-bike, or alternative electric motored vehicle infractions.

SECTION 2: This Ordinance shall take effect and be in full force upon its passage, approval, and publication according to law.