Alexandria E-Scooter Pilot Program Extended Through End Of Year

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria staff opted to extend the pilot program for electric scooters, also known as dockless mobility devices. According to a city memo, the program will run through the end of 2019.

Staff say the extension gives them time to evaluate data from September and make a recommendation to City Council for a long-term plan to manage the devices. City staff's evaluation process includes collecting more data and community feedback, researching programs in other cities and coordinating with regional jurisdictions.

The pilot would have expired on Sept. 30. Because e-scooter operators permits expire on that date, companies must extend their permit with a $5,000 fee and updated certificate of insurance. To date, Lime, Lyft, Jump, Bird, Bolt, Skip and Spin have permits allowing their e-scooters to be used and parked in Alexandria.

The decision came after a mid-pilot program update with statistics on crashes, citations, public comments and more. Data covered the start of the pilot program in January through the end of May. Through public feedback, the city identified key resident concerns since the pilot program started, such as improperly parked scooters; safety for pedestrians, people with disabilities, etc; and loss of character and visible clutter in Old Town.

The city and companies collaborated to address concerns in recent weeks. Areas such as the waterfront have been "geofenced" so scooters cannot be parked there. The geofenced areas are marked in e-scooter apps. The Transportation & Environmental Services Department announced 13 dockless mobility corrals have been installed, and more are coming. The on-street parking corrals are for mobility devices only and will be identified in apps.

The city has opened a new public feedback form through Sept. 6. Several outreach events coordinated by the city and e-scooter companies are coming up. Residents can learn about the program, safety and parking rules, and how to ride e-scooters safely at these events:

• Tuesday, Sept. 3 from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at King Street and Union Street in Old Town
• Thursday, Sept. 5 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at First Thursday on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray

According to new state legislation that took effect on July 1, if a locality does not have regulations by Jan. 1, 2020, shared mobility devices can be offered "for hire" without restriction. For more about the city's e-scooter program, visit www.alexandriava.gov/DocklessMobility.