Bike taxi business approved

A bicycle taxi business will operate in Whitefish this summer, picking up and dropping off customers who want a ride in the city.

Whitefish City Council last week approved a request by Annika Gordon to operate a pedicab.

Gordon’s pedicab can fit two passengers and is equipped with a bell, signals and brake lights.

“We hope that people will take advantage of the option,” she said, “and will see it as an eco-friendly and fun method of transportation.”

Gordon plans to collect fees for the rides based on what customers feel is reasonable. She plans to operate the pedicab from noon until she runs out of passengers.

A map of her potential routes show her operating from the west at Grouse Mountain Park to the east at Memorial Park as another pick up spot. She will bike south to at least Creekview Drive and plans to make a stop to the north at City Beach and travel along Wisconsin Avenue. She is hoping to pick up passengers from Depot Park, Grouse Mountain Lodge, The Lodge at Whitefish Lake and City Beach.

Gordon says she will use the bike paths that are wide enough to accommodate the pedicab.

“When going through the neighborhoods, I will try to stay mostly on Fourth Avenue because it doesn’t have as many uncontrolled intersections,” she told Council. “The pickup areas I chose are pretty busy spots with adequate room for the pedicab without taking up too much room on sidewalks or streets.”

Mayor John Muhlfeld said he supported the proposal, noting that he previously spoke against a request to operate a horse-carriage operation downtown. He said those are two different proposals and he supported the pedicab because of the routes proposed.

Councilor Frank Sweeney asked Gordon to keep safety in mind.

“Let’s be very, very careful out there,” Sweeney said. “My concern is late at night operation.”

According to city codes for use of public ways, the council is authorized to designate places on city streets where public and private hacks, buses and taxicabs can stand when not in use.