East Grand Rapids Is Getting Real About E-Scooter Safety

East Grand Rapids is taking a fresh, practical look at e-scooter safety. People want streets, paths, and village blocks to feel calm again. Kids still want the freedom to roll to school and practice. Honestly, both things can be true at once. So the city is sketching out a plan that sets clear expectations without turning everyday rides into a hassle.

Why now?

Neighbors keep talking about close calls—on the lake path, near the village center, and especially around schools. You’ve probably seen it too: a fast pass with no bell, a rolling stop at a blind corner, or a dusk ride with no lights. It adds up. And as the days get shorter, visibility drops and nerves go up. So yes, the crash count isn’t sky-high, but the vibes say, “Let’s tighten things up before spring hits.”

City staff hear it. They don’t want heavy-handed rules. They do want simple guidance that most people can follow without thinking too hard. As a result, they’re organizing work around four straightforward pillars: infrastructure, education, ordinances, and enforcement. Nothing flashy. Just the basics done well.

The plan at a glance

Infrastructure. Start with quick wins. Fresh crosswalk paint. Centerlines on shared paths. “SLOW” legends where the path narrows. Trim bushes that block sightlines. Then look at slightly bigger moves—closing tiny bike-lane gaps near schools, adding posts at pinch points, and improving lighting at mid-block crossings. Each tweak reduces surprises. And fewer surprises mean fewer conflicts.

Education. Meanwhile, Public Safety, Parks & Rec, and the schools are syncing up their messages. Keep it simple and repeat it everywhere. Wear a helmet. Use lights after dusk. Signal before you turn. Yield to people on foot. Make eye contact at crossings. Short demos at assemblies and community events can help. So can checklists in newsletters and social posts. When kids hear the same tips at school and at home, they tend to stick.

Ordinances. The current code wasn’t built for today’s mix of scooters, e-bikes, and everything in between. So staff are drafting updates that answer basic questions: Where should you ride? How fast is okay in crowded areas? What lights or reflectors do you need at night? The goal isn’t to ban fun. It’s to make the rules clear—especially on village blocks and school approaches where space feels tight.

Enforcement. Education comes first. Then, when reminders don’t work, officers need a backstop. Expect warnings and fix-it guidance early on. Think “Hey, grab a light—it’s dark at 5 PM now,” not “ticket book out.” If a few hot spots keep causing trouble, citations may follow. Data will guide patrols, not hunches.

What might change

City leaders haven’t voted on final language yet. Even so, you can already see the outline.

• Where to ride. In general, scooters stick to bike lanes or the far right of the street. Sidewalks stay for walking, with a few context-specific exceptions. Shared paths remain open, but with slower speeds and predictable passing. Signs at path entrances set the tone early.
• Speed in shared spaces. Crowded blocks need calmer speeds. Advisory caps on village streets and busy paths reduce stopping distance and stress. Painted legends and centerlines reinforce the idea without shouting.
• Lights and visibility. After dusk, riders kind of disappear in headlight glare. A white front light and red rear light make a big difference. Reflectors on wheels, backpacks, or ankle bands help from odd angles. On gray winter afternoons, daytime running lights don’t hurt either.
• Helmets and age notes. Helmets protect young riders from the everyday low-side fall. The city will likely echo state guidance and push steady reminders through the schools. Not preachy—just practical.
• Parking manners. Don’t block curb ramps or narrow sidewalks. Painted “parking boxes” near popular corners keep devices tidy without eating up the whole block. It’s small, but it matters for strollers and wheelchairs.
• Event-day tweaks. During festivals or school events, you might see temporary slow zones or dismount areas. Portable signs and cones make it obvious. And then they go away when the crowd does.

Michigan law, plain-English version

State rules treat e-bikes and e-scooters differently. That affects speeds, equipment, and where you can ride. East Grand Rapids can’t override state law, of course. But it can translate those rules to fit local streets and paths. Clear categories help everyone—parents, teens, and officers—speak the same language. And when the language matches, arguments tend to fade.

A day in the life under the draft

Picture a Thursday near the village center. Signs mark a slow zone on the busiest block. Riders ease off the throttle and yield to shoppers stepping out of doorways. On the shared path, a bell ring and a quick “on your left” happen before the pass, not during it. At dusk, lights click on. The ride to practice still takes ten minutes. It just feels calmer.

Now imagine a school morning. A short detour adds one extra minute but avoids two blind driveways. The lake path’s centerline gently separates flows. Crossing guards get clear guidance for scooters and bikes, so the approach doesn’t feel chaotic. Nobody’s perfect, sure. But the baseline behavior improves quickly. That’s the whole point.

How this fits with nearby communities

Other West Michigan cities have their own playbooks. Big places lean on parking corrals, vendor permits, and data dashboards. Smaller towns emphasize education, advisory speeds, and targeted signage. East Grand Rapids falls somewhere in the middle. With heavy school travel and pedestrian-friendly blocks, it needs a right-sized plan. Modest infrastructure tweaks, a few clear corridor rules, and steady communication hit that sweet spot. And when neighboring cities use similar terms, families who ride across boundaries don’t have to re-learn the system every weekend.

What’s next

Policy moves in steps. Staff refine the language. Residents comment. Commissioners debate tradeoffs and adjust the draft. Finally, a vote locks in a package that balances access and safety. The aim is to land it by early spring, when scooters come out in force. In the meantime, the city rolls out education so good habits build before the first warm Saturday.

Quick wins for families (today, not later)

You don’t have to wait for an ordinance to ride safer.

• Make a “ride code.” Helmets on. Lights after dusk. One ear open. No sidewalk sprints. Stick the checklist near the door.
• Pick calmer routes. A small detour can skip a sketchy driveway or a blind corner. Four-way stops beat fast arterials for younger riders.
• Do a 5-minute tune-up. Check brakes, tire pressure, and any loose bolts. Firm tires mean shorter stops and fewer pinch flats.
• Be easy to spot. Add a bell and reflective ankle straps. Run a steady rear light at night. Wear something bright when skies go gray.
• Model the behavior. Adults set the tone. Slow near walkers, ring early, and signal every turn. Kids copy what they see.

The bottom line

E-scooters and e-bikes cut short car trips, free up parking, and give teens real independence. They’re good for quick errands and lake-loop joy rides. But shared spaces need a little structure to feel welcoming. Clear rules protect freedom. Small infrastructure fixes guide flow. Education builds habits. And fair enforcement backs things up when reminders fail. Put it all together and you get streets and paths that work for everyone—on foot, on two wheels, or behind the wheel. That balance is the goal. And honestly, it’s within reach.