Watertown City Council Approves New Downtown Rules for Bikes, Scooters and Skateboards
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council on Tuesday approved Ordinance No. 26‑30, completing a months‑long effort to update the city’s rules governing bicycles, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, and other personal conveyances. The ordinance passed on its second reading, following extensive revisions and public input from downtown businesses and residents.
The changes amend Chapter 7 of Title 19 (Traffic) in the city’s Revised Ordinances, modernizing definitions, clarifying safety requirements, and establishing a new process for determining where personal conveyances may be restricted on sidewalks.
City Attorney Carrico: “A year‑long process”
City Attorney Lisa Carrico presented the item, noting that the council had already discussed the ordinance at length during two previous meetings.
“I’ll be brief just because this is the third council meeting that we’ve discussed this,” Carrico said. “Two meetings ago, we brought a new ordinance proposition to the table that would have restricted personal conveyances or wheeled vehicles in the entire business district within our downtown area.”
Carrico said that after receiving feedback, staff...
“went back to the drawing board and retooled that to kind of narrow the area.”
Traffic Safety Committee Will Set the Restricted Zones
Under the revised ordinance, the Traffic Safety Committee—not the ordinance itself—will determine the specific geographic areas where personal conveyances must be walked rather than ridden.
“In this revised ordinance… it leaves that actual geographic location up to the city’s Traffic Safety Committee to determine where those areas are the most appropriate,” Carrico said.
The ordinance defines “personal conveyances” broadly, including:
· Bicycles
· Electric bicycles
· Inline roller skates and rollerblades
· Scooters (self‑propelled and non‑self‑propelled)
· Skateboards
· Carts
· Toy vehicles
· Other similar devices
Mobility devices used by individuals with disabilities—such as wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and mobility scooters—are explicitly exempt.
Key Safety Provisions Updated
The ordinance includes several updated safety requirements, including:
· Careless or reckless operation prohibited
· Yielding to pedestrians at all times
· Lighting requirements for nighttime operation
· No more than two conveyances abreast
· No hitching rides on motor vehicles
· No more occupants than the device was designed to carry
Councilman Dan Schutte thanked Carrico and staff for the extensive revisions.
“Thanks for all the work, and I know you had to go back to the drawing board a little bit made some adjustments,” Schutte said. “I appreciate the work on it all, everybody involved.”
Carrico noted that the process began nearly a year ago.
“It’s been about a year‑long process since we first started visiting with downtown business owners to get their input,” she said. “So it’s nice to see us bringing this hopefully across the finish line here.”
Councilman Michael Heuer made the motion to approve the ordinance, seconded by Councilman Dan Schutte.
Mayor Ried Holien called for the vote:
With no opposition, Holien declared: “Motion carries.”
With the ordinance now adopted, the Traffic Safety Committee will begin identifying specific sidewalk areas—primarily in the downtown business district—where personal conveyances must be walked. Signage and pavement markings will be installed once those areas are finalized.
The ordinance becomes effective in September 2026, as noted in the attached documents.
