E-Scooter Pilot Program -
Provide the City with Your Feedback
Many of you have asked about the E-Scooter Pilot Program.
The city has granted permission to three shared e-scooter companies to operate in the 2020 e-scooter pilot: Bird, Lime and Spin. The 2020 pilot will run four months from mid-August to mid-December. Each company will deploy up to 3,333 scooters throughout the Chicago for a total of 10,000 scooters citywide.
The city drafted updated rules and minimum requirements based on the results of last year’s pilot and feedback from residents and community organizations.
As mentioned previously, the companies will be allowed to operate citywide (see map), with the exception of the Lakefront Trail, the Central Business District and the Bloomingdale Trail (The 606).
E-scooters are limited to 15 mph, cannot be ridden on sidewalks and may only be operated from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. New to the second pilot is a requirement that all e-scooters must be equipped with locks that require riders to lock the device to a fixed object to end their trip. This new requirement aims to reduce dangerous sidewalk clutter and maintain clear pathways for all Chicagoans who depend on unobstructed sidewalks, especially residents with disabilities. If you find a scooter parked inappropriately or chained to your private property, please call 311.
E-scooters must be parked upright and with a minimum of six feet of clearance between the scooter and all public way obstructions. Examples of approved e-scooter parking locations include bike racks and corrals, retired Chicago parking meters and street signs (but not bus stop signs). E-scooters must be positioned so as not to block the roadway or sidewalks. E-scooters cannot be parked within 10 feet of street corners or intersections, along a building façade or blocking fire hydrants, bus stops, rail station entrances, loading zones or building access points.
More information about the pilot can be found at the links below.
The city is inviting feedback on the E-Scooter program here.
