City staff outlines micromobility safety, crash data and options; council urges TAMU coordination and education-first approach

Planning staff walked the City Council through an overview of micromobility devices, crashes and policy options at a June 11 workshop focused on safety and regulations.

"These devices are so popular because they help with first- and last-mile connectivity," Jesse Damola, planning and development services, said as he defined micromobility categories and cited Texas Transportation Code distinctions among ebikes and e-scooters. Damola also showed city crash trends and said motorized conveyance crashes have risen, particularly at intersections near the campus.

Damola outlined legal constraints: municipalities may ban scooters on sidewalks for safety reasons but must provide an alternative (bike facility or street), and devices cannot operate on streets with speed limits over 35 mph in many circumstances.

Council response and priorities: Members emphasized education and low-cost interventions first. Councilmember Schaefer and others urged outreach aimed at new students and stronger coordination with Texas A&M; one council member suggested the city should pursue shared funding or jointly targeted programs with the university.

"If we start with a strategic framework around very simple concepts that we know both CSTX and TAMU are about—keeping students safe—might there be an opportunity for shared goals, even shared funding?" a councilmember asked.

Policy options discussed: dismount zones in congested Northgate areas; advisory 20 mph (or 10 mph in specific places) signage; peak-time signal phasing that protects pedestrians and micromobility users; hands-free or headphone restrictions were raised but staff noted enforcement difficulty. Staff recommended continuing the Active Transportation Master Plan rollout and prioritizing crash hot spots for infrastructure fixes.

Next steps: Staff will continue coordination with Texas A&M, pursue the Northgate pedestrian/bicycle safety study, emphasize education (including welcome-bag materials for new students and community bike safety classes) and bring prioritized, low-cost projects forward for council consideration.