If your summer plans include riding an e-bike along Grand Haven’s waterfront, new rules are on the way. WOOD TV reports that the Grand Haven City Council has passed ordinances that will limit e-bikes and electric scooters on some city streets and on the city’s boardwalk, a move the city frames as a pedestrian safety effort in its most visited areas.
Unlike a lot of e-bike stories we cover, this is not a proposal under discussion. WOOD TV describes ordinances the council has passed, though the report does not say when they take effect. What follows is exactly what the station’s August 4, 2026 report establishes, and just as importantly, what it does not.
The hero image on this article is WOOD TV contextual file photography of a Lime e-bike in Grand Rapids from July 6, 2022. It does not show Grand Haven or the affected boardwalk.
The Four Changes, Rule by Rule
WOOD TV’s report describes four distinct changes, and they cover different places and different situations. It is worth keeping them straight.
The boardwalk ban. The council amended the city’s boardwalk ordinance to ban e-bikes, electric scooters, and electric skateboards from the 1.5 mile stretch along the Grand River harbor. Public Safety Chief Nichole Hudson said in a statement that the decision came down to the area’s high volume of pedestrian traffic. The amendment leaves non-motorized bikes allowed, so once the change is effective, a regular pedal bike remains fine on the boardwalk while an e-bike does not.
The seasonal Washington Avenue sidewalk restriction. The council voted to add e-bikes, electric scooters, and electric skateboards to an existing ban on bicycles, skateboards, and roller skates on public sidewalks along Washington Avenue between Harbor Avenue and Third Street. That restriction runs from the last weekend in May through Labor Day, so it is a summer season rule rather than a year-round one.
The No Wheel Zone. The council created a “No Wheel Zone” within the 10 block of Washington Avenue during the peak summer season. WOOD TV notes this area includes the city’s Social District along with restaurants, bars, and other gathering spaces that draw thousands of residents and visitors per year. The station issued a correction clarifying that the zone is within the 10 block of Washington Avenue, so if you saw an earlier version of the story describing the zone differently, this is the accurate version.
Reckless operation coverage. The amendments add e-bikes, electric scooters, and electric skateboards to the city’s reckless operation ordinance. Per Hudson, the intent is that motorized device operators are held to the same standard as bicyclists and other operators when it comes to property damage or injury caused by intentional or reckless behavior.
“The goal of this change is not to discourage people from using these modes of transportation, but to reduce conflicts in an area where people are walking, dining, and gathering in close proximity,” Hudson said of the downtown changes.
What the Report Does Not Establish
WOOD TV’s report is specific about where the rules apply, but several practical questions are simply not answered in it, and we are not going to guess.
The report does not state an effective date for any of the changes. It does not describe penalties or fines for violating the boardwalk ban, the sidewalk restriction, or the No Wheel Zone. It does not explain how the rules will be enforced or signed, and it does not quote the full ordinance text. It also does not address whether the rules distinguish between e-bike classes: the report refers to e-bikes generally, not to Class 1, 2, or 3 categories.
If any of those details matter to you, and for anyone who rides in Grand Haven regularly they probably do, the city itself is the place to get answers.
If You Are Visiting Grand Haven This Summer
Per WOOD TV, the affected areas are among the city’s most visited, drawing thousands of residents and visitors per year, so these rules will land squarely on the places a visitor is most likely to ride. A short checklist based on what the report establishes:
- Plan to skip the boardwalk on an e-bike, electric scooter, or electric skateboard. Once the amended ordinance is effective, the 1.5 mile Grand River harbor boardwalk is off limits to those three device types. A non-motorized bike is still allowed.
- Stay off Washington Avenue sidewalks between Harbor Avenue and Third Street in season. Once effective, the restriction closes that stretch of sidewalk to e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, regular bicycles, skateboards, and roller skates alike from the last weekend in May through Labor Day.
- Expect the 10 block of Washington Avenue to become a No Wheel Zone in peak summer. That is the Social District area with the restaurants and bars. The report does not say whether walking a device through the zone is allowed, so check with the city or watch for posted signs before planning a route through it.
- Ride as if the reckless operation ordinance covers you. Once effective, the amendments hold motorized riders to the same standard as bicyclists for damage or injury caused by intentional or reckless behavior.
- Check with the city before you go. The report does not cover effective dates, penalties, or signage, and local rules like these often come with details a news summary cannot capture.
Michigan’s statewide framework still governs everything these local rules do not touch. Our state-by-state e-bike law guide covers how state and local rules layer on top of each other.
Part of a Wider West Michigan Pattern
Grand Haven is not acting alone. WOOD TV notes that in May, the East Grand Rapids City Commission voted to require riders to wear helmets and prohibited bicycles and most micromobility devices on downtown sidewalks in the Gaslight Village area, among other regulations.
Hudson framed Grand Haven’s changes as an ongoing balancing act rather than a final word. “As transportation continues to change, the City will continue to evaluate emerging technologies and community needs,” she said. “These updates are intended to strike a balance between embracing new ways to travel and maintaining safe, welcoming public spaces for residents and visitors alike.”
We have seen the same pattern elsewhere: cities carving popular pedestrian corridors out of the places e-bikes can go while leaving the rest of the network open. Garden City, Idaho took a different approach on its greenbelt, and the contrast is worth a read if you follow how these rules are evolving.
Sources
- Grand Haven council approves e-bike, scooter regulations (WOOD TV)
- Hero image provenance: WOOD TV file photo of a Lime electric bicycle in Grand Rapids, July 6, 2022
