September 26, 2018
Mayor Nancy McFarlane and Raleigh City Council
222 W. Hargett St
Raleigh NC. 27601
Dear Mayor McFarlane and City Council:
Electric scooters have hit the city’s streets, and because you, the community, and city staff are debating the merits and challenges of this new mode of transportation, WakeUP Wake County would like to offer our input for your review.
WakeUP’s Transportation, Land Use and Housing Committee and WakeUP’s Board of Directors have discussed the pros and concerns about the scooters and have considered recommendations for regulating them. While we recognize not all riders of scooters have behaved safely, we have concluded that the scooters are an asset for Raleigh (and other cities) and are also consistent with and will help achieve the sustainability, energy, climate protection, and transportation goals of the City’s Comprehensive and Strategic Plans and also Raleigh’s commitment to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement goals.
WakeUP firmly believes that increasing options for transportation that take up less road space than automobiles and use a fraction of the energy of cars is a net positive for our fast-growing region. WakeUP has long supported increasing access to multi-modal transportation options to improve the health of our citizens, ensure environmental sustainability, and create economic prosperity and equity. Electric scooters are not just a trend, but are in demand as a new transportation option that will help Raleigh reduce CO2 emissions and achieve sustainability and energy reduction goals. Scooters also provide a low-cost transportation option for all residents.
We are glad the City is reviewing options for regulating the scooters. Given that the City has been working to increase safety and access for cyclists, pedestrians and transit riders, protections for scooter users should fall in line. Like many American cities, over the last half century Raleigh was designed primarily for auto-users, often at the expense of any other mode of transportation. WakeUP applauds the City Council and transportation staff for having the vision to begin to change that. Raleigh’s “Complete Streets” policy should embrace the scooters as well.
WakeUP recommends the City continue to work with the scooter companies to develop rational regulations that do not hinder progress on sustainability and equity goals. Safety recommendations to consider could include:
- Require speed limits, perhaps by zone
- Improve lights on the scooters
- Consider some way to increase visibility of the scooters (flags etc)
- Require scooters to be in bike lanes, where provided
- Convert bike lanes, particularly downtown, into separated and protected cycle-tracks, or add other forms of protected separation between automobiles and cyclists and scooters on shared street space
- Use data through Bird or Limebike to control scooters and speed
- Increase traffic calming in higher density areas (riders on the sidewalk are a symptom that users are afraid of being on the streets)
- Ask the scooter companies to contribute funds to help create more bike lanes for scooters.
Thank you for continuing to address new challenges and embrace new opportunities for this community. We appreciate your consideration of WakeUP’s views and recommendations.
If you have any questions, please contact me at 919-637-4271 or karen@wakeupwakecounty.org.
Sincerely,
Karen Rindge
Executive Director
CC:
Tansy Hayward, Assistant City Manager
Michael Moore, Director of Transportation