Iowa City leaders concerned about moped use on sidewalks

The Iowa City Council will soon begin discussions to reclassify parking restrictions for mopeds, which could potentially stop moped users from using city sidewalks and bike racks.

Currently moped drivers are allowed to park their vehicles alongside bicycles at city bike racks. That has lead to concern from both the public and from city leaders. Next week the city council will begin discussions to establish a permit based parking system for mopeds, banning them from the sidewalks.

"It's more safety and putting them into one place," said council member Terry Dickens, who fears too much action could discourage moped use in downtown. "If you restrict them too much they aren't going to drive them, and there will be more car traffic downtown."

Dickens said the city will need to search for a balance. He said a permit based system wouldn't be designed to create revenue for the city, as fees would only run about $25 dollars/per six months.

"Moped use is good, we want to encourage it," said Dickens. Moped users though, don't see any benefits from a permit based system.

"Using sidewalks and bike racks is amazing and easy," said Brad Mensen, a UI student who has used a moped in Iowa City for three years. "We walk it on the sidewalk to the bike rack, we don't have to be driving on the sidewalks, so it's safe."

Mensen said one of the major benefits to moped use is the easy and free parking. He fears the city's involvement would only generate unneccesary red tape.

"(They're) just trying to make money," he said.

The city council will discuss the possibility of a future public hearing on the issue at next Tuesday's meeting.