Provo’s Transportation Mobility Advisory Committee (TMAC) spent much of a September meeting debating how the city should define and regulate motor‑assisted “micro‑mobility” devices and whether to ban them from sidewalks and set an age threshold for users. Committee members discussed aligning local rules with Utah state code, enforcement limits and a push for a public education campaign targeted at parents and schools.

The discussion centered on where micro‑mobility — broadly described by members as motor‑assisted conveyances that do not require a driver’s license or vehicle registration — fits in state law and local practice. Beth Provence, TMAC chair, said, “I don’t wanna go against Utah State code,” while urging the group to define the locally actionable gray areas that fall below licensed motorcycles.

Committee members said safety incidents and near‑misses motivated the push. A member cited a recent fatal crash of a 13‑year‑old in Farmington and said residents — including an older couple on Canyon Road — have reported being passed closely by fast, motorized devices. Members noted that the state already has categories for motorcycles and motor‑driven cycles and that e‑bikes are treated differently in state law, including class distinctions tied to maximum assisted speeds.

Proposals discussed included an outright ban of motorized conveyances on city sidewalks, raising the age requiring parental supervision to 15, and narrowly targeting “motorized” conveyances while preserving ordinary bicycles. Supporters of stricter limits argued that sidewalk bans simplify enforcement: “Instead of trying to clock someone's speed going down the sidewalk, you're just not allowed on the sidewalk,” one member said. Opponents and others warned of unintended consequences — that riders might move into travel lanes where vehicle speeds and exposure are higher — and emphasized that enforcement resources are limited.

Several members urged non‑regulatory steps first. Ideas included an education campaign using school communications, posters at school entrances and neighborhood social media; using school resource officers to share rules with families; targeted outreach at rental locations and dealers; and clear, consistent signage on trails and conflict points. One attendee noted a state requirement (enforced via consumer complaints) that some retailers display language clarifying certain off‑road electric dirt bikes are “not a street legal vehicle,” but said that paragraph rarely appears in advertising.

No ordinance, motion or vote occurred. TMAC members were asked to submit written suggestions to city staff to inform a future recommendation. “Please email your suggestions of changes into Verne, and then we can continue it,” the chair said, and members agreed to return the matter to a future agenda for additional drafting and outreach.

The committee separated discussion items from direction: the group discussed possible definitions, age thresholds and sidewalk bans; it directed members to provide written proposals to staff for a follow‑up draft; and it did not take formal action to adopt any regulatory change.

Next steps described to the committee included continued drafting, public education efforts and consultation with the police department about enforceability and resources. TMAC members also requested comparisons of ordinances in other Utah cities and data on local complaints and injuries to inform possible code language.