Salem Bike Lane, Scooters Get Mixed Reviews

SALEM, MA — Based on feedback Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll posted on Facebook Wednesday, there's little middle ground on the city's trial programs to offer electronic scooter rentals and a "pop-up" bike lane into downtown. The scooters are either "out of control" or enjoyable, while the bike lanes were either "useless and ridiculous" or lovable, based on the four comments Driscoll shared. The pop-up bike lane was in place last weekend and will be up again during each weekend in August, while the scooter program has been averaging 350 rides per day.

"As this is a new mode of travel in the City, we’re rolling it out slowly and I think it’s safe to say, it’s going to take a little time for everyone to adjust and to determine if this is something that will work effectively in our community – that’s why this is a pilot program," Driscoll said of the e-scooters, which are being managed by Zagster.

Salem parking is notorious and traffic congestion can rival a metro-area traffic jam, so Salem leaders have been looking for alternatives. Officials are using the bike-lane pilot program to collect data and see if a dedicated bike lane could be made permanent. But the gripes from drivers, who lost parking spots over the weekend for the bike lane, have been loud.

"Useless and ridiculous. Whoever came up with the idea of taking away parking that everyone uses to allow space for bikes that no one uses should be fired," one person wrote in the initial feedback Driscoll shared with her Facebook followers.

"At the heart of both of these trial initiatives is a goal of providing people with additional options for getting around our community and that often means sharing public ways, streets and roads," Driscoll said. "Given current traffic congestion and environmental impacts, we think it’s worth the effort to explore pilots and pursue alternatives to car travel in our 8 square mile city (some of these efforts will be successful and some likely won't - either way we'll be armed with info and better able to tackle the next effort!)"

Writing in his own Facebook post, Ward 5 City Councilor Josh Turiel said it was too soon to pass judgement on the programs after a week of e-scooters and a weekend with the bike lane, but did note "the scooters aren't as promising" as the bike lane.

"I'm not really looking for the city to conveniently rent scooters to people who want to joyride or go buzz around the city as tourists," Turiel said. "And I've been alarmed by a lot of the behavior I've seen by some of those riders. Riding against traffic, zipping through lights, going on sidewalks, and cutting off cars. None of that promotes safety or convenience. Some people are also still dumping them in bad locations, blocking sidewalks, accessibility ramps, and doorways."