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Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board February 19, 2002
Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles Dear Senator Kohl-Welles The Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board, an appointed, citizen board of the City of Seattle, hereby communicates its opposition to Senate Bill 6316 which allows use of sidewalks and streets by Segway Scooters in Washington with limited restriction by city ordinances. Given the speed differential between Segway Scooters and pedestrian walking speed and given the weight and mass of the scooter and rider, this new transportation mode can injure pedestrians. Our particular concern for this Segway danger is for smaller children and the disabled. Many jurisdictions will want to place Segway Scooters in a right of way with other wheeled, powered vehicles or bicycles. We recommend that Senate Bill 6316 be amended to allow cities and counties to regulate the use of Segway Scooters comprehensively within their own jurisdictions. We understand that the bill allows cities to regulate Segway Scooters only on streets posted with speed limits under twenty-five miles per hour. Give Washington cities and counties the power to regulate this new transportation mode as they regulate other vehicles for safety and mobility goals. Enclosed in this mailed letter is Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board's rationale for opposing this bill written by Board member Lester Goldstein. Sincerely,
John Coney
Suzanne Anderson
Senator Sid Snyder
Seattle City Council Member Richard Conlin
Chair. Transportation Committee
Susan Crowley
Peter Lagerwey
Seattle Transportation Department
Representative Frank Chopp
Representative Nancy Dickerson
Representative Ed Murray
Representative Ruth Fisher
Representative Mike Cooper
Representative Helen Sommers |