Lockport looks at allowing electric scooters on city streets

Whether low-speed electric scooters will be permitted on city streets is going to be reviewed at the Lockport city Committee of the Whole meeting on Wednesday.

Last year, the state of Illinois passed a law allowing the use of low-speed electric scooters by legal adults on Illinois roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or lower.

The law only applies to roads not under the control of individual municipalities, and the scooters are considered illegal on municipal roads unless otherwise approved by the controlling municipality.

The city is considering an ordinance which would allow the use of such vehicles, defined as “a device weighing less than 100 pounds with 2 or 3 wheels, handlebars, and a floorboard that can be stood upon whiling riding.”

The vehicles must not exceed 10 mph in speed and can only be powered by an electric motor and human power. The ordinance does not include mopeds or electronic bikes.

Limits on usage age and permitted streets’ speed limits must mirror the state law, and cannot be altered by the city ordinance, according to city documents.

If the city does not approve the ordinance, the vehicles will remain illegal by default.

Currently, the city of Lockport prohibits the use of unlicensed motor vehicles on public or private property without property owner permission, including electric scooters.

This ordinance would also be modified if the change is approved, to exempt the vehicles from the rule.