Columbus Goes To Extreme Lengths To Keep Scooters Out Of Parks

Electric scooter at city

Photo: Getty Images

Columbus plans to add geofencing after electric scooters have been causing safety concerns in several parks in the city. The geofencing will make scooters that go inside a certain boundary inoperable.

The Department of Public Service said Columbus police have expressed concerns over scooters in Franklin, Goodale and Schiller parks. One Columbus resident, Dee Debenport, who lives near and visits Schiller park daily, spoke with WBNS-10TV Columbus about the issue.

“Schiller Park is many of our neighbors’ front yards and our backyard and literally it's sometimes the only green space people have to enjoy,” she said.

Debenport, who is also the block watch coordinator for several surrounding neighborhoods, said she's been seeing issues with scooters since last summer.

“[They] started terrorizing some elderly people who were playing tennis and some of the people were even knocked over. And I kept getting different reports of instances of people being, the best word I can say is, terrorized,” said Debenport.

According to the city, High Street from Goodale Boulevard to 5th Avenue in the Short North Arts District, as well as the Scioto Mile, are already geofenced. As of right now, the Department of Public Service said they don't have an exact date from the various scooter companies as to when this new plan will come to fruition.


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