New E-Scooter Pilot Program In Boulder: What To Know

BOULDER, CO — Boulderites can expect to see e-scooters and more e-bikes hit the streets over the next few weeks.

The city of Boulder has partnered with Lime and BCycle to launch a program that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

City Council approved in 2020 dockless e-scooters and e-bikes, and issued in March a request for proposal to potential operators.

Bid requests were reviewed by the city, the University of Colorado Boulder and Boulder County, and Lime and BCycle were chosen as operators of the Shared Micromobility Program.

Lime is set to add 200 e-scooters east of 28th Street on Wednesday in East Boulder for the pilot program.

As e-scooters grow in popularity around the world, many cities have seen large increases in the number of scooter crashes and deaths.

The city and CU Boulder said they are taking the following steps to increase safety:

• The dockless e-scooters will be deployed in zones that allow for clear, unobstructed passage of pedestrians on/near sidewalks and in commercial areas and that do not impede Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility or the boarding or departure of transit users. Lime is required to collect all e-scooters and replace them at deployment zones daily.
• The e-scooters will be geofenced, meaning they will shut down if users try to take them out of designated areas. Scooters will not be operable west of 28th Street, including on the CU Boulder Main Campus.
• The e-scooters are outfitted with Lime’s Training Mode, a new feature designed to make the first ride on a Lime scooter smoother and more comfortable. When a rider turns on Training Mode, the max scooter speed will be reduced to just 8 miles per hour, so first-time or early riders can get the feel for riding at a comfortable speed.
• The e-scooters have a speed limit of 15 mph and can only be used during the hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Riders are encouraged to always wear a helmet, the city said. Lime offers discounted helmets – more information is available here.

The city and Lime will track e-scooter usage data and evaluate the program after one year of operation to determine whether adjustments are needed, the city said.

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E-bike access will begin to expand in the city Friday, officials said.

"As part of its contract, BCycle will convert the Boulder BCycle system to a fully electric pedal assist e-bike fleet and expand the station footprint throughout the city to provide convenient access to shared e-bikes for more community members," the city said in a news release.

"The expansion will increase access with new stations in East and South Boulder and more stations in Central and North Boulder."

E-bikes and e-scooters are not allowed on Open Space and Mountain Parks trails, the agency's paved multi-use trails or the Boulder Canyon Trail, which is managed by Boulder County and connects to the Boulder Creek Path, the city said.

>> Learn more about Boulder's micromobility program here.