Dockless scooters are returning to Milwaukee next month.
The Department of Public Works will run another pilot study starting June 1 through through November 15.
Six companies applied to take part, but with only space for three the department chose Bird, Lime and Spin.
Part of the reason for their selection was their ability to have technology in place by this summer that will track if their scooters are being used on sidewalks, which is illegal. If sidewalk use is detected, users will receive a notice either on their phone app or on the scooter themself.
Sidewalk use was one of the more common concerns during the DPW’s 2019 pilot program. To prevent a repeat in 2021, companies will need to operate two monthly education events and conduct monthly targeted sidewalk outreach. DPW will also work with a consultant to conduct sidewalk riding counts.
Companies that are found to have at least 10-percent of riders using sidewalks in the downtown area will be banned from placing scooters in this region.
As for the rest of the program, each company will be allowed to have up to 1,000 scooters throughout the city. A plan is in place for each to deploy at least 100 adaptive scooters for people with varying abilities.
To encourage more use outside the downtown zone, no more than 300 will be placed in this part of the city. At least 480 scooters will need to be place in each of the other six city zones.
More details on the 2021 dockless scooters pilot program can be found here.
In addition to this, DPW is expanding the city’s bike share system. Thanks to a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Grant, Bublr Bikes will increase their fleet by 250 bikes. About 200 of them will be electric-assist, with the intent to increase access to people with various ages and abilities.
There will also be 26 new stations for Bublr Bikes to be docked. DPW says they worked with community partners to determine these sites. Most will be in the Bronzeville, Harambee, Midtown, Washington Park, Silver City, Clarke Square, and Walker Square neighborhoods.
“The expansion of Bublr Bikes further into Milwaukee neighborhoods reaffirms the City’s and Bublr Bikes’ commitment to an equitable bike share system for all Milwaukeeans,” says DPW Commissioner Jeff Polenske. “And with a greater number of scooters being spread out throughout Milwaukee compared to 2019, we are greatly increasing transportation options for Black and Latinx neighborhoods.”
