The New York City Department of Transportation today announced that three companies had been selected for New York City’s first electric scooter pilot in eastern Bronx: Bird, Lime and Veo. The pilot, mandated by City Council legislation passed in 2020, now enters the community engagement phase, wherein DOT and the three companies will work with local communities to site e-scooter parking corrals and educate the public about the pilot, including its safety, equity, and accessibility components. The pilot is expected to be on the streets by early summer.
Additionally, DOT also previewed several bike lane projects for the pilot zone. This includes protected bike lanes planned for White Plains Road and Bronxdale Ave, and conventional bike lanes along East 23rd Street and Eastchester Road. More imporvements are planned for 2022. Please see the above map for more information.
For more information regarding pricing, safety and accessibility, and community outreach, please read the entire press release.
Shared e-scooter systems have become popular in many American cities over the past few years, allowing millions to rent publicly accessible e-scooters for short trips. These systems operate similarly to dockless bike share. Riders find and un-lock shared e-scooters within a designated service area using a smartphone app. Many shared e-scooter systems utilize designated parking corrals to organize vehicles, reduce sidewalk clutter, and ensure a clear right-of-way.