How Richardson Handles Mobility & Curb Rules: A Practical Guide

Richardson maintains 116 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with mobility & curb rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Richardson falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Shared E-Scooter Rules

Riding a motor-assisted scooter, whether it's your own or a rental, on a Richardson street or highway requires a Richardson Police Department permit if you're 12 or older and don't hold a driver's license. Permitted riders are limited to streets posted 35 mph or slower, and a helmet is mandatory. Riders under 12 may use sidewalks but not streets.

Key details: Permit required: Age 12+, no driver's license (RPD-issued). Safety course: Administered by Richardson Police Department. Street speed limit: 35 mph or less. Under-12 riders: Sidewalks only, not streets. Helmet: Mandatory for riders.

Section 22-11(h) makes it a separate offense to cause, suffer or permit another person to operate a motor-assisted scooter on any alley, sidewalk or highway in violation of the section. A violation can also lead to suspension of the rider's scooter permit. Because the section sets no dollar fine of its own, the general penalty in section 1-8 applies: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, with continuing violations counted day by day.

Bike Lane Rules

Richardson bans driving a motor vehicle inside a street lane marked by sign and pavement striping for the exclusive use of bicycles, and separately bans riding a bicycle inside a lane marked for the exclusive use of motor vehicles. City Code Sec. 22-101 makes each move an offense; Sec. 22-102 adds hands-on-the-bars, no-stunt-riding, curb-or-rack parking, and pedestrian-yield rules for cyclists.

Key details: Motor vehicles banned from marked bike lanes: Sec. 22-101(a). Bicycles banned from motor-vehicle-only marked lanes: Sec. 22-101(c). Right-turn defense into a bike lane: as close as practicable, Sec. 22-101(b). No stunt riding, no hands off bars: Sec. 22-102(a). Bicycle parking location: curb, rack, or building; least obstruction.

A driver caught operating a motor vehicle in a marked bicycle lane, or a cyclist riding in a lane marked for motor vehicles only, commits a municipal offense under Sec. 22-101, enforced by the Richardson Police Department. The right-turn defense in subsection (b) is the only exception the ordinance itself writes in; it does not excuse driving any further into the lane than needed to complete the turn. Stunt riding, no-hands riding, improper parking, and failing to yield to pedestrians on a sidewalk are separately chargeable under Sec. 22-102.

Red-Light Cameras

Texas Transportation Code Sec. 707.020 bars every city in the state, Richardson included, from implementing or operating a red light or photographic traffic-signal camera: House Bill 1631 shut the industry down statewide effective June 2, 2019. Richardson's own 2007 civil-penalty camera ordinance, City Code Sec. 22-185 through 22-193, still sits in the book but cannot lawfully be enforced today.

Key details: Statewide camera ban effective: June 2, 2019 (H.B. 1631). Governing statute: Tex. Transp. Code § 707.020(a). Ban enforced by: Texas Attorney General. Camera-image citations barred: Tex. Transp. Code § 707.021. Richardson's old program (defunct): Code §§ 22-185 to 22-193.

Since June 2, 2019, no camera can lawfully produce a citation in Richardson: an officer must personally witness a red-light or speeding violation to issue a ticket under Transportation Code Chapter 543. A city that implements or operates a photographic enforcement system, or that issues a charge based on a recorded image, faces enforcement action by the Texas Attorney General under Sec. 707.020(b), not a fine paid by drivers.

This is one of the stricter rules in Richardson's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Richardson's mobility & curb rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Richardson is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Richardson's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.