Sartell Sees A Surge In Ebikes And Scooters On The Roads

E-bikes, E-scooters and E-dirt bikes have increased in popularity with the city of Sartell seeing a big increase of that presence on their roads, trails and sidewalks.  To talk about things going on in Sartell I was joined by City Administrator Anna Gruber and Director of Engagement and Experiences, Nikki Sweeter.

E-Bikes and E-Scooters

Sweeter says the Sartell Public Safety team has been addressing the increase in e-bikes and e-scooters with education.  She says their team is focusing on enforcing the state statute which indicates individuals using them should wear a helmet and these are for people 12 years of age and older.  Sweeter says Sartell has talked about creating their own ordinance for e-bikes and e-scooters but that hasn't happened yet. She says patrol officers have addressed some violations with warnings to act as education in the community.  E-scooters can be on trails, sidewalks and roads, e-bikes can be on trails and roads and e-dirt bikes can only be on roads.  The difference between a sidewalk and a trail is based on the width. Sweeter says a trail is anything 8 feet and above while a sidewalk is 6 feet wide.

New Hotel

A new hotel is coming to Sartell.  The Wyndham Garden Hotel was announced last month as the 2nd hotel to be built in Sartell.  It will be located at the intersection of LeSauk Drive and Evergreen Drive, within the Central Minnesota Healthcare Hub.  Gruber says adding a hotel has been the focal point of the city for many years.  She says the growth of the medical facilities and the addition of Niron Magnetics has made this addition necessary.  Gruber says the city council approved the subsidy package and hotel incentives at their meeting Monday.  She says building permits have been submitted and she's optimistic there will be some level of construction this fall.

Road Projects

The westside reconstruct project continues in Sartell.  Sweeter says progress continues to be made but the project won't be completed until 2026.  Gruber expects work to continue through November of this year.  The work involves a complete reconstruct near the Sartell Intermediate School and a block west of the River Road.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Nikki and Anna, click below.