City staff are moving to review a portion of a Windsor bylaw to lift restrictions on pedal assist e-bikes and scooters on select multi-use pathways and trails leading to the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Council passed a motion Monday from Ward 9 Councillor Kieran McKenzie directing city administration to speed up elements of the review specific to the use of micromobility on the pathways around and connecting to the new crossing.
Under current bylaws, several forms of micromobility vehicle types, such as power-assisted or motor assisted bicycles, and low speed mopeds are banned or restricted on city pathways and trails.
Ward 7 Councillor Angelo Marignani says e-bikes are allowed on American pathways.
Marignani asked that the review and any potential changes focus on a specific area.
“A lot of the reasons for the bylaws that we have are due to seniors. These vehicles are quiet, and people are zipping by them. So specifically with the port of entry and the trails that lead to and from it,” he says.
There’s still no official date for the opening of the bridge, but Mayor Drew Dilkens asked that it be done posthaste possible so it’s ready before the bridge opens.
“We need to be able to make that change ASAP, not knowing when the bridge will open,” he says. “It could be 7 days from now or 177 days from now. I don’t want there to be a barrier when people are excited to ride their bike across and have a pedal assist bike that’s not currently allowed.”
The Gordie Howe International Bridge project includes a 2.5 kilometre dedicated multi-use path that will accommodate pedestrians and cyclists across the Windsor-Detroit border.
The multi-use path will be toll-free and includes one lane that will accommodate two-way pedestrian and cyclist traffic. The policy for the multi-use path across the bridge, including the modes of transportation such as micromobility, has not been released.
Windsor’s Commissioner of Infrastructure Services, David Simpson, says they could revisit the bylaw concerning pathways and trails.
“In terms of what’s allowed across the bridge or not, that would be beyond the city’s jurisdiction; that would fall, to my belief, to the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority and Transport Canada to some extent,” he says.
Council is hoping to receive a report on the options and what can be done at a future council meeting.
Micromobility is an umbrella term for small, lightweight, low-speed, personal transport vehicles, typically used for short trips. Examples include traditional items like human-powered bicycles, roller blades, and skateboards, as well as power-assisted devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters, cargo bikes/trikes, and low-speed vehicles.