Document Arvada_doc_5ffb8f1728

ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT October, 2022 ---PAGE BREAK--- THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT ii Acknowledgements Arvada City Council Mayor Marc Williams Randy Moorman, District 1 Lauren Simpson, District 2 John Marriott, District 3 David Jones, Mayor Pro-Tem and District 4 Lisa Smith, At-Large Bob Fifer, At-Large 2021–2022 Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) Jadwiga Brown Jesse Dubin Terri Binder Jim Arndt Ian Hardwick Dan Roussin Lydia Meyer Cyndi Stovall Jon Girand Past Members: Brandon Figliolino Dan Cupid Matt Thornton Matt Barkley Paul Kos City Staff Team Emily Grogg, City Attorney Josie Suk, Systems and Admin. Manager Jeni Mills, Admin. Coordinator Emily Sexton, Parks Design Manager (former) Don Wick, Arvada Public Works Department Director Mazedur Hossain, Traffic Engineering Division Manager John Firouzi, MPI Division Manager Derek Fern, TDM & Parking Coordinator Kellee Van Bruggen, Transportation Planner Lt. Jason Ammon, Arvada Police Department Rachael Kuroiwa, Communications Director Katie Patterson, Communications Manager Emily Kolm, Engagement Coordinator Steve Milke, Creative Services Designer Daniel Peachey, Traffic Maintenance Manager Adam Lind, Transportation Planner (former) Program Partners Kylee Floodman, Bird Rides Taylor Kenney, Bird Rides Emily Lindsey, DRCOG Michael Schwartz, Ride Report Kory Young, Ride Report Michal Naka, Ride Report Consultant Team Adrian Witte, Toole Design Kerry Aszklar, Toole Design Lisa Johnston-Smith, Toole Design Jacob Nigro, Toole Design ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iii ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT iv Contents Executive Section 1: Section 2: Regulation and Section 3: Public Education 14 Section 4: Program 17 Section 5: Community 31 Section 6: Pilot 36 Section 7: 39 Figures Figure 1. Description of sidewalk Figure 2. Shared Micromobility Pilot Project service area 10 Figure 3. Application process for shared micromobility vendors in 12 Figure 4. "Community mode" in the Bird app allows riders and non-riders to report issues with Bird 15 Figure 5. Average number of e-scooters deployed each day in Arvada (01/26/22 to 18 Figure 6. Ridership Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to 19 Figure 7. Utilization Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to 19 Figure 8. Daily Ridership Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to Figure 9. Hourly Ridership Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to Figure 10. Trip starts from Figure 11. Trip ends from 24 Figure 12. E-scooter trip routes for the period from Figure 13. Improperly parked devices on the 27 Figure 14. E-scooter parking locations overlaid with e-scooter trip-end events in Olde Figure 15. Mode Replaced by Shared 29 Figure 16. Change in transportation modes since start of program.. 30 Figure 17. Public support for the existing e-scooter Figure 18. Fees collected as part of the shared micromobility pilot 37 Figure 19. The City paid for signs to be installed on local trails to support the Tables Table 1. Denver Region Shared Micromobility 20 Table 2. Shared Micromobility Pilot Program ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Executive Summary In January 2022, the City of Arvada launched a pilot program to allow private companies to operate shared micromobility devices (such as dockless bicycles, electric-assist bicycles, and electric-assist scooters available for rent) for a one-year pilot period. A single vendor, Bird, currently manages a fleet of e-scooters as part of the program. The pilot program allows the City to test regulations and operations of the program and to gain a better understanding of the issues and concerns of the community. What is the Micromobility Pilot? The purpose of the pilot is to evaluate the use, safety, and overall performance of shared micromobility in Arvada. During the pilot, City staff have worked with Bird to manage operations of the program, educated the public about the program, and engaged with the community to gain insights about how the program is being used and to gather opinions on the program. Trip data was also collected and analyzed to determine where scooter trips and parking events occurred. Arvada’s Pilot by the Numbers 10,177 0.6 MILES 40% 2,440 APPROX. 1 METRIC TON OF REDUCED CO2 EMISSIONS 5.8 MINUTES TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS (JAN 26–SEPT 30) MEDIAN TRIP DISTANCE OF TRIPS REPLACE AUTOMOBILE TRIPS VEHICLE MILES TRAVELLED OFFSET FROM AUTOMOBILE TRIPS MEDIAN TRIP TIME “E-scooters” are considered a form of micromobility and can be rented for a short duration. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Key Findings औScooter parking: Parking is a big frustration to residents. Nearly 80 percent of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that e-scooters are improperly parked. औUnderage riders: Underage riders: Frequent sightings of people believed to be under-age riders using e-scooters causes concern. औRules and regulations: More Arvadans would be supportive of the pilot program if more regulations were in place to address issues. Arvada is Considering… औExpanding the program beyond the 1-mile radius of the G Line stations, serving demand in a larger area or citywide. औEstablishing proactive vendor oversight and audits to ensure permit compliance. औProviding greater access to micromobility options for low-income and disadvantaged members of the community. औEvaluating the benefits of strategically placed parking zones (e.g. scooter racks) in high-demand locations. औEncouraging vendors to also supply e-bikes to evaluate demand and perception of these devices compared to e-scooters. Next Steps City Council will review report and provide direction for remaining pilot changes City staff will review and implement changes to the pilot City Council will evaluate the full results of the program and consider the future direction of the shared micromobility pilot program Bird e-scooters parked in Olde Town. ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT INTRODUCTION SECTION 1 ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Section 1: Introduction In 2019, Colorado House Bill 19-1221 classified e-scooters and permitted them on roadways in the state. The bill also authorized local governments such as the City of Arvada to regulate e-scooters to a similar degree as electric bicycles. After the bill, the City of Arvada began to consider a shared micromobility program and started seeing micromobility devices appear in the City as a spillover from micromobility programs in neighboring jurisdictions. Staff recommended a shared micromobility program to the Citizen’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) as part of a “first and last mile” strategy to address connectivity and congestion concerns observed by the TAC at the G Line stations in Arvada. Staff completed a legal analysis, updated city codes, and conducted public outreach before proceeding to develop and present the pilot program framework to the City’s leadership team and City Council. In January 2020, the City of Arvada sought public feedback and found that people were generally supportive of the pilot program. In August 2021, the State Code was updated to grant micromobility devices such as e-scooters and e-bikes right-of-way on public streets and trails. City Council approved the “Mobility as a Service” pilot program in August 2021. The regulations adopted by Council outline the requirements for the program and its operators including the service area, the number and types of devices, maintenance and operations expectations, and data reporting requirements. E-scooters parked in the sidewalk furniture zone. The City of Arvada sought public input prior to the pilot program, finding that people were supportive. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Pilot Timeline May 2022 Bird approved to expand their fleet to 200 devices. December 2021 Bird approved as a vendor. April 2019 RTD G Line Commuter Rail opens. October 2021 Vendor application period opens. December 2020 DRCOG releases “Shared Micromobility in the Denver Region: Considerations for local agency implementation and regional consistency”. 2019 Shared micromobility gains traction in the Denver region. Surrounding jurisdictions implement pilot programs. 2019 Colorado House Bill 19-1221 updates electric scooter classification, allowing e-scooters on public roadways and trails, and allowing local jurisdictions to regulate e-scooters. November 2022 City staff to present to Council on interim results, continuation, and recommended pilot program adjustments. January 2020 Transportation Committee presents recommendations to City Council; City staff seek public input on a shared mobility pilot program. August 2021 Council grant micromobility devices right-of-way on streets and trails consistent with the 2020 Colorado Model Traffic Code update. City Council approves Mobility as a Service Pilot. December 31, 2022 Pilot program due to end; vendors required to re-apply for permits on an annual basis if program continues. Summer 2022 City staff distribute helmets for Bike-to-Work Day and other community festivals. January 26, 2022 First e-scooters deployed with Bird launching 100 devices with the possibility to expand. ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Pilot Program Goals The goals of the Arvada Shared Micromobility Pilot program are consistent with the City’s Strategic Plan to: औProvide residents and visitors with additional transportation options that improve safety and minimize traffic congestion. औCreate efficient connections to other modes of transportation, including transit, streets, sidewalks, and bikeways. The goals of the pilot program are to: औIncrease first- and last-mile connectivity. औConnect to transit stations and stops. औUse program to enhance street safety for people using micromobility devices, walking, or bicycling through a Traffic Calming program. Figure 1. Description of sidewalk zones. Shared micromobility devices in Arvada are allowed to be parked in the furnishing zone. How does shared micromobility work? Shared micromobility systems have the following characteristics: औDevices are rented for one-way trips using a mobile phone application. औUsers can park their device wherever they end their trip. औUsers are encouraged to park their device in the furnishing zone, the area of the sidewalk where trees, light posts, benches, utility poles, and other common sidewalk amenities are located in the right-of-way. औCompanies regularly pick up devices to recharge them and to redistribute them to where people need them. औScooters are permitted to park in the public right-of-way. ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Data Sources Data for this report was sourced from: औRide Report’s dashboard of data collected from program vendors and reported as part of a data sharing agreement with DRCOG. औBird, the pilot program’s e-scooter vendor provided information including parking compliance and community feedback through their mobile app’s “Community Mode”. औAn online Speak Up Arvada survey that was completed by both users of the program and the general public with 576 responses. औInformation from staff reports and other City departments including financial information and reported crashes. Data Sharing with DRCOG Arvada is part of a regional agreement with the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) to share micromobility data that is included on a regional shared micromobility data portal. This agreement provides Arvada access to data from the pilot program and allows staff to compare Arvada’s performance to other regional jurisdictions. More information about DRCOG’s shared mobility program can be found here. This report includes data from a variety of sources, including Ride Report's data dashboard and feedback through the app's "Community Mode". ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE SECTION 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- 10 Section 2: Regulation and Compliance City Council adopted a framework to regulate the pilot program and ensure compliance from service providers. The Rules and Regulations for Arvada’s Pilot Mobility as a Service Permit Program outline the intent of the program, the application process, the terms of service, and the requirements and responsibilities of permittees. Using this framework, staff approved and worked with Bird to oversee and manage the pilot program. Rules and Regulations The Rules and Regulations for Arvada’s Pilot Mobility as a Service Permit Program adopted by City Council outlines the terms under which dockless shared micromobility devices such as bikes, e-bikes, and e-scooters can be operated in the public right-of-way. These include: औA description of the pilot program's definitions, intent, and purpose. औA description of the responsibilities of the vendor, including performance expectations. Pilot Service Area The City of Arvada’s shared micromobility pilot began operating in January 2022. The operating boundaries were drawn to understand the potential of shared micromobility in providing alternative transportation to key destinations and land uses and as a first- and last- mile mode of transportation to public transportation. The pilot service area is shown on Figure 2 and includes Olde Town, the Ralston Creek Trail, other parks and commercial districts, and the Olde Town Arvada and Arvada Ridge G Line stations. Figure 2. Shared Micromobility Pilot Project service area boundary. ---PAGE BREAK--- 11 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT 11 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Permitting Fees The terms of the pilot program include fees charged to shared micromobility vendors for use of the public right-of-way. These include: MUNICIPAL SERVICE FEE. Upon selection, the Shared Micromobility Operator shall pay an initial fee of $5,000 to cover municipal expenses associated with oversight and administration of the program. In addition, prior to permit issuance, the Operator shall pay a per-vehicle-fee of $10 that will be dedicated to the installation and maintenance of pavement markings, signs, and other traffic control devices supporting Shared Micromobility. EXPANSION FEE. For expansion of an existing permit, operators must submit an application to the City of Arvada to increase the number of vehicles deployed. Applications will be reviewed based on staff assessment of operator performance, public demand, and other criteria. Fees for vehicle deployment increases shall include a $500 municipal service fee, $10 maintenance fee, and $30 per vehicle maintenance bond due at the time of permit issuance. REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT. At the time of permit issuance, Operators must pay a maintenance bond of $30 per vehicle deployed, to be used to reimburse Arvada as needed for costs associated with auditing, removing, and storing improperly parked micromobility vehicles. This deposit will be reviewed at the time of permit renewal, or upon issuance of permit for increase in number of vehicles. At the end of the permit period, any maintenance bond remaining will be reimbursed to the Operator or if the permit is renewed, the amount will be rolled over to the following permit period. YEARLY PERMIT RENEWAL FEE. Operators must pay a yearly permit renewal fee of $5,000 based on City of Arvada staff time dedicated to management, oversight, communications, enforcement, and education of the program. OPERATIONS FEE. Operators must pay a operations fee that will be assessed at a rate of $0.10 per ride taken each month. ---PAGE BREAK--- 12 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Application Process The process to receive and maintain an operating permit follows four phases: Figure 3. Application process for shared micromobility vendors in Arvada. The City of Arvada actively encouraged micromobility companies to apply for permits for the shared micromobility pilot program. The permit process opened in October 2021. The first successful vendor application that met all of the City’s requirements was from Bird. Volt Mobility and Boaz Bikes submitted an initial application but did not submit the required Certificate of Insurance or application fee. There has been interest in the program from other vendors but none have formally applied. Permits are subject to annual renewal and can also be revoked if a vendor is regularly not meeting the requirements outlined in the Rules and Regulations. 12 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT • Pay remainder of Municipal Service Fee ($4,500) • Pay per vehicle fee ($10/device) • Pay per vehicle maintenance bond ($30/vehicle) • Receive permit • Deployment of vehicles PHASE 3 • Submit Permit Application Requirements • Review by City Staff PHASE 2 • Real-time reporting to Ride Report • Play operations fee ($0.10/ride) • Responsive to operations needs and community feedback PHASE 4 • Submit City of Arvada Municipal Micromobility Vendor's License Application • Submit Proof of Insurance • Pay initial application fee ($500) PHASE 1 ---PAGE BREAK--- 13 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Permit Compliance The City of Arvada worked closely with Bird to ensure that their e-scooter fleet was operating safely and in compliance with the terms of the permit. This included ensuring that issues, such as community reports of incorrectly parked e-scooter, were addressed by Bird as part of complying with the permit. Based on the “Community Mode” reporting function on the Bird app, there were: In addition to the reports provided through "Community Mode" in the Bird app, City staff received 26 comments through the City's e-mobility account, direct emails to staff, Facebook comments, phone calls, pop-up events, and Ask Arvada. Of those comments, eight reports required City staff reaching out to Bird for responses. Additional anecdotal information suggests that e-scooter parking behavior is a significant issue. Results of the public survey showed that 36 percent of survey respondents agree or strongly agree that the vendor did not respond to community requests quickly enough. Bird reported that reports received through Community Mode are forwarded to their fleet managers and generally addressed within 30–60 minutes. Bird is also open to working with the City to refine their reporting and response tracking processes. E-scooter parked correctly on the sidewalk 3 REPORTS OF E-SCOOTERS BEING TIPPED OVER REPORTS OF E-SCOOTERS NEEDING MAINTENANCE 11 REPORTS OF INCORRECTLY PARKED E-SCOOTERS* *Five reports were incorrectly parked e-scooters, while three reports indicated an e-scooter needed maintenance or rebalancing 24 ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS SECTION 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- 15 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Section 3: Public Education Campaigns As part of the shared micromobility pilot program, the City and Bird partnered to educate the public on how to operate e-scooters safely. This included messaging in the Bird app and distributing helmets to community members. This public education campaign was initiated at the start of the pilot, although the focus on some aspects increased as the pilot continued. In-App Messaging General Messaging General messaging in the Bird app includes how to ride a Bird e-scooter, how to use an e-scooter safely, and how to park an e-scooter properly. Safety messaging appears on the webpage and is accessible via the sidebar in the app (Figure Messaging about how to ride a Bird e-scooter is also available via the sidebar and as a splash page when users first download the app and prior to renting an e-scooter. Targeted Messaging Targeted messaging was delivered through the app to address parking issues that arose during the pilot program and increased during the warmer months. Starting on March 28, 2022, riders received a parking reminder through the app at the end of their ride about where and how they should park their e-scooters. City staff worked with Bird to introduce a “community mode” reporting feature (Figure 4) in the Bird app where people, even if they were not riders, could report incorrectly parked or damaged e-scooters. In response to community feedback about devices being parked on school property at Lawrence Elementary, Bird established a No Parking Zone in April 2022. When an incorrectly parked e-scooter was reported, Bird was required to correct the issue within 4-hours when notified between 6am and 6pm, Monday through Friday, and within 12-hours during other times. While statistics measuring the number of incorrectly parked e-scooters or the time it took to address incorrectly parked e-scooters were not captured, a majority of survey respondents (79 percent) agreed or strongly agreed that e-scooter parking inhibited their travel. Figure 4. "Community mode" in the Bird app allows riders and non-riders to report issues with Bird e-scooters. ---PAGE BREAK--- 16 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Helmet Distribution To promote safety, City staff distributed free helmets provided by Bird at community events, including Bike- to-Work Day in June and festivals held throughout the summer. Bird also mailed helmets to people that requested them, with recipients responsible for just the shipping costs. Approximately 200 helmets were distributed through these channels. According to survey results, approximately 21 percent of riders indicated that they sometimes or always wear a helmet while riding, which is higher than reported in many peer communities. "HOW OFTEN DO YOU WEAR A HELMET WHEN RIDING AN E-SCOOTER?" Never Sometimes Always I do not own a helmet Bird encouraged riders to wear helmets through their in-app messaging. ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT PROGRAM PERFORMANCE SECTION 4 ---PAGE BREAK--- 18 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Section 4: Program Performance This section analyzes the performance of the pilot program using data collected by Bird and reported via the Ride Report data dashboard. For reporting purposes, the data analyzed included the period from the start of the program on January 26 to September 30, 2022 (a total of 248 days). Outlier data zero length trips) were filtered out of the analysis by Ride Report. Vehicle Deployment The pilot program began with Bird permitted to deploy up to 100 e-scooters in the pilot service area. City staff approved Bird to increase this amount to 200 e-scooters on May 13, 2022. The average number of e-scooters deployed each day in Arvada is shown on Figure 5. औApproximately 69 devices (all e-scooters) were deployed and active1 on a typical day. औThis represents around 55 percent of the permitted fleet cap.2 Figure 5. Average number of e-scooters deployed each day in Arvada (01/26/22 to 09/30/22). Figures 5, 6, and 7: Using Ride Report charts, an independent analysis tool, the City is able to monitor and track the performance of vendor fleet operations and public demand. This is available in real-time as well as historical data. The City can correlate weather impacts, public interest, and vendor performance by comparing the charts and forecasting permit needs and refining vendor expectations. This helps manage program performance. 1 An “active” vehicle is one that is deployed and is either available for rent, reserved, or out-of-service but in the right-of-way. 2 The percentage of the available fleet cap is calculated as an average of the daily active vehicles divided by the number of vehicles permitted by the City. The pilot program launched with 100 vehicles permitted and City staff approved an increase to 200 vehicles on early May 2022. ---PAGE BREAK--- 19 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Ridership During the analysis period, a total of 10,177 trips were taken on the e-scooters deployed by Bird. The daily profile of ridership is shown on Figure 6. This represents: औAn average of 41 trips per day. औA peak ridership of 128 trips, which occurred on Friday June 24, 2022. औOlde Town is a popular destination with: o Close to half (45 percent) of trips originating in Olde Town. o A third (33 percent) of trips ending in Olde Town. Figure 6. Ridership Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to 09/30/22). Vehicle Utilization A chart of program utilization is shown on Figure 7, which compares the number of trips taken per vehicle per day, and shows that the program increased in popularity over the course of the analysis period: • The average utilization was 0.6 trips/vehicle/day, which is lower than utilizations reported by other small cities with populations less than 200,000 people, that see around 1.0 trips/vehicle/day. However, it is noted that those systems are mature systems, whereas the program in Arvada started with lower utilization that has grown over time. • Utilization rose from under 0.5 trips per e-scooter per day during the winter and the early part of the pilot program to regularly being over 1.0 trips per e-scooter per day and as high as 2.1 trips per e-scooter per day over the summer. Figure 7. Utilization Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to 09/30/22). ---PAGE BREAK--- 20 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Compared to other jurisdictions in the Denver region, Arvada has a higher rate of trips taken per day than Littleton, a similar rate to Aurora, and a lower rate than Boulder and Denver. It should be noted that these statistics reflect the entire duration of jurisdictions' shared micromobility programs, and some programs have been operating for longer periods of time than others. It is difficult to measure the relative performance of each community without normalizing these results with the number of devices available in each community. Other factors also contribute shared micromobility performance across communities, such as land use and safe street infrastructure. This information is not currently available through the DRCOG dashboard. Table 1. Denver Region Shared Micromobility Portal (as of 10/5/2022). Trip Statistics 3 96% of trips are less than 3 miles of trips are less than 1 mile 70% 84% of trips are less than 15 minutes of trips are less than 5 minutes 44% An analysis of trip distance showed: In terms of trip duration: The average trip is: The median trip lasts miles long minutes 0.62 5.8 Name Population Total Trips Trips/Day Median Duration (min) Median Distance (mi) Total Distance (mi) Denver Region 3.4M 11M 8.6K 8 0.88 14M Arvada, CO 121K 10K 41 6 0.62 9.1K Aurora 379K 16K 37 8 1 25K Boulder 106K 132K 321 7 0.77 136K Denver 727K 11M 8.1K 8 0.88 14M Littleton 48K 7.5K 23 6 0.74 7.8K ---PAGE BREAK--- 21 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Rider Profile Bird reported that there were a total of 1,890 unique e-scooter users in Arvada. Based on responses to the online survey, the majority of e-scooter users were between ages 26–42 (66 percent). People ages 18–25 were less represented amongst e-scooter ridership (two percent). About 12 percent of survey respondents who had rented a scooter were 42–50 years old and 21 percent were over 50 years old.3 Of the survey respondents who indicated they had not rented an e-scooter, approximately three quarters (76 percent) were over the age of 42, while twenty-four percent were under 42 years old.4 The top three reasons survey participants chose to ride an e-scooter were: The most common types of trips frequently taken by e-scooter riders were social and entertainment trips, to go to restaurants, and for shopping/errands. There were few users that said they used the e-scooters for commuting to school or for appointments. As a first- and last-mile connection to transit, the City expected higher usage while the data shows more recreational, social, and "errand-based" usage during the pilot program period. 3 The age ranges in the survey did not match the Census data age ranges. However, the Census shows that people between 18 and 65 years of age represent 56 percent of the community and 17 percent are over 65 years old. 4 Although the age range selection options in the community survey do not align with Census data age ranges, it could be surmised that survey respondents skewed older than the median age of 40 for an Arvadan community member. (US Census 5-year ACS). E-scooter rider makes use of traffic calming changes implemented during the shared micromobility pilot program. 22% 14% Just for fun Parking is difficult at that time/destination It was the fastest, most reliable option 29% ---PAGE BREAK--- 22 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT When People Ride Figure 8 shows the profile of ridership by day of week and Figure 9 shows the profile of ridership by time of day: औAlmost two out of three trips (63 percent) occurred during the weekday with a little over a third (37 percent) occurring on weekends. औFriday and Saturday are the highest demand days with 19 percent and 23 percent of trips, respectively. औThe highest percentage of trips occurred during the evenings (between 5–9 PM). Figure 8. Daily Ridership Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to 09/30/22). Figure 9. Hourly Ridership Profile in the Arvada City Limits (01/26/22 to 09/30/22). ---PAGE BREAK--- 23 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Where People Ride The Ride Report dashboard includes information on where trips started and ended, the routes that people took, and where vehicles were redeployed by Bird’s rebalancers. Figure 10 and Figure 11 shows where trips started and ended during the analysis period.5 The highest areas of demand are in Olde Town and its surrounding areas. A high number of respondents to the online survey called for either more e-scooters or a larger area to ride in. Further analysis would be needed to understand what percentage of trips stopped at the service area boundary or started or ended outside of the service area. This could help decide whether the pilot area is large enough or whether it should be expanded. More e-scooters being available (20 percent) and more safe places to ride (bike lanes or paths separated from vehicles) (17 percent) were the top two changes that would encourage survey respondents to use e-scooters more often.6 Figure 10. Trip starts from 1/26/22–9/30/22. What would encourage you to use e-scooters more often? 5 For routes or hexagons to appear on the Ride Report dashboard, a minimum number needs to occur to make sure data is aggregated sufficiently to protect personally identifiable information. 6 The total number of survey participants was 576. 17% More safe places to ride (bike lanes or paths separate from vehicles) Make more e-scooters available 20% ---PAGE BREAK--- 24 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Figure 11. Trip ends from 1/26/22–9/30/22. Figure 12 shows the routes that riders took during the analysis period. The most popular routes selected by users those with over 150 total rides) included: औOlde Wadsworth Boulevard (between Grant Place and Grandview Avenue is a part of the pedestrian mall; between Robinson Way and just south of 64th Avenue has bike lanes in each direction). औW 57th Avenue (traffic calming pilot between Yukon Street and Independence Street with speed cushions; speed radar signs; traffic circles; and bike lanes). औGrandview Avenue (between Webster Street and Olde Wadsworth Boulevard is part of the pedestrian mall; traffic calming pilot with speed cushions and speed radar signs between Olde Wadsworth Boulevard and Independence Street). Other streets and trails that had reasonably high usage were: औRalston Creek Trail औW 59th Avenue (parallel to Ralston Creek Trail) औRalston Road (currently under construction to widen sidewalks west of Olde Wadsworth Boulevard) औWebster Street औUpham Street औVance Street औReno Drive औAllison Street ---PAGE BREAK--- 25 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT To understand the routes selected by users, the City used Ride Report to monitor and track streets and trails. The pilot program area, within 1-mile of the G Line Stations, represents a small portion of Arvada's multi-modal street infrastructure and the data is inconclusive. The only information that could be determined is that Ralston Creek Trail was well used by e-scooter riders and e-scooter users preferred routes with added protections such as reduce speed limits, wider sidewalks/trails, and updated bikeways. The survey showed that safer places to ride such as trails and buffer separated bikeways were the second most frequently selected response from e-scooter riders when asked about improvement needs. Figure 12. E-scooter trip routes for the period from 1/26/22–9/30/22. Olde Wadsworth Blvd, W 57th Ave and Grandview Ave were all upgraded in the past five years with various bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure to support access to the Olde Town G Line Station. Phase-1 of Ralston Road was also completed within the pilot program period. Figure 12 shows a map from Ride Report that correlates multi-modal infrastructure investments with user data and rider preferences. Low volume local streets and community trails are also preferred routes for e-scooter usage. ---PAGE BREAK--- 26 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Where People Park Results from the online survey showed that e-scooter parking is the highest concern the general public has about the program. The City’s Mobility as a Service Rules and Regulations require that “devices be parked (upright) in the hardscaped amenity zone between the sidewalk and the roadway, at a bicycle rack, or within designated parking zones” and in a manner that does not block the sidewalk or other accesses and meets ADA requirements. Devices that are parked incorrectly must be corrected or removed within four hours of receiving notice (6 AM–6 PM, Monday to Friday) and within 12-hours at all other times. Parking compliance grew to be a community concern during the pilot. In response, in-app messaging on appropriate locations to park in Olde Town was initiated on March 28th. Sixty-three percent of survey respondents said they are familiar with e-scooter parking rules and almost 80 percent said that e-scooters are often parked in their way. When asked where devices should be parked, bike racks were the most frequently selected option (32 percent), followed by dedicated parking on the sidewalk (24 percent), and on the street (24 percent). Within the furnishing zone on the sidewalk was also frequently selected (20 percent). The City has purchased five micromobility parking racks to test out in high use areas. The parking areas will also have painted markings and signage. The racks will be installed in October 2022 and will be tested throughout the remainder of the pilot program. FAMILIAR WITH PARKING RULES Not Familliar Somewhat Familiar Familiar "E-SCOOTERS ARE OFTEN PARKED IN MY WAY" Strongly Disagree Disagree No Opinion Agree Strongly Agree Parking actions: औE-scooter parking was identified as the highest concern of the general public. औContinue in-app messaging and education of riders on where to park. औIdentify dedicated parking locations in high-traffic areas and where sidewalk space is limited. औInstall and test the effectiveness of the e-scooter parking racks purchased by the City to be installed in October 2022. औWork with the vendor to streamline the reporting and compliance of parking issues. औConduct observational studies to investigate permit compliance. ---PAGE BREAK--- 27 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Figure 13. Improperly parked devices on the sidewalk. Olde Town Understanding how shared micromobility is operating in Arvada’s Olde Town is important given its historic context and its importance as the city’s busiest commercial district. Almost half (45 percent) of trips originate in Olde Town and a third (35 percent) of trips end in Olde Town. In advance of the pilot program, the City implemented a number of changes to the traffic environment (see sidebar) and identified locations for designated e-scooter parking areas that were designed to minimize clutter and to increase predictability for e-scooter users looking for parking or an available e-scooter. Staff considered both sidewalk and in-street parking opportunities and the final locations were selected in consultation with the Director of the Olde Town Business Improvement District considering the historic nature of the district, the generally narrow and busy sidewalks, the newly created pedestrian mall, access to key destinations, and encouraging access to the G Line station. These are shown on Figure 14. Figure 14 also shows where trips ended in Olde Town and shows that many trips ended near the designated parking areas, however, only about 2 percent of trips ending in Olde Town parked within 25-feet of the designated parking areas. This suggests that these areas need to be reinforced as parking areas through use of signage, striping, and other changes. Infrastructure Changes in Olde Town Accompanying the pilot program, the City implemented infrastructure changes in and approaching Olde Town to calm traffic by encouraging slower speeds and lowering vehicular volumes. This included street closures to create pedestrian zones, installing speed cushions, and other infrastructure changes. WHERE DO YOU THINK E-SCOOTERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PARK? Number of responses On the sidewalk in the "furnishing zone" near the street, not blocking pedestrian access At a dedicated scooter parking spot on the sidewalk At a dedicated scooter parking spot on the street At bike racks 214 258 260 346 ---PAGE BREAK--- 28 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Figure 14. E-scooter parking locations overlaid with e-scooter trip-end events in Olde Town. Ridership Impact Mode Shift Based on responses to the online survey, Figure 15 shows that e-scooter rides have replaced a variety of different modes. While this is an early assessment, analyzed in a transit rich environment, the City is seeing a mode shift within the pilot program where density, diversity of land-use, and parking demand is highest. Most often, e-scooter trips replaced walking trips, but 28 percent of trips replaced a personal automobile trip and 40 percent of trips replaced an automobile trip of any kind including driving a personal vehicle, taking an Uber, Lyft, or taxi, and passenger rides in vehicles. This is higher than the average rate observed in other shared micromobility systems in North America.7 7 North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association (NABSA) (2022): 3rd Annual Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Report. W 57th Ave Grandview Ave ---PAGE BREAK--- 29 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Based on these results, riding shared micromobility has resulted in approximately 2,440 vehicle miles travelled and approximately one metric tonne of CO2 emissions being offset in the City of Arvada. Figure 15. Mode Replaced by Shared Micromobility. How many shared micromobility trips replaced an auto trip? Survey respondents also indicated that since they started using the e-scooters they have reduced their instances of driving alone and increased their use of bicycling, transit, and walking. 31% 40% Denver Arvada NABSA 37% Percentage of trips replacing mode Driven a personal vehicle Walked Taken an Uber, Lyft, or taxi Taken public transit Ridden as a passenger in a vehicle Would not have made this trip ---PAGE BREAK--- 30 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Figure 16. Change in transportation modes since start of program. Connection to Transit When combined with multi-modal infrastructure investments, e-scooters can be an effective first-and-last mile connection to transit that can increase neighborhood accessibility of transit stations beyond the typical walking catchment. Within the pilot program area, the connection to transit was inconclusive given reductions in RTD transit service as a result of the pandemic. The ridership data showed that approximately 1 percent of trips ended within 200 feet of a G Line transit station and another 5 percent ended within 100 feet of a bus stop. RTD studied and has proposed a Service Optimization Plan (SOP) starting in late 2022 to increase the frequency of the G Line to pre-pandemic levels and reducing bus service within the community. As a result, the connection to transit is anticipated to increase given the lack of RTD buses and parking congestion at the G Line stations. For trips ending at the G Line, the vast majority of these ended at or near the Arvada Olde Town station with many fewer ending at the Arvada Ridge Station. It is also noted that there were a significant percentage of respondents to the online survey that wanted to see e-scooters in neighboring cities, which would also increase the utility of the program as a first- and last-mile mobility option that could be used at both ends of a transit trip. Further data collection and analysis is needed to determine the connection to transit. Only a small percentage of trips seem to have been made as a connection to transit. There is an opportunity to improve first and last mile connections through education campaigns to increase awareness of the program and its benefits for short trips. Since first using shared e-scooters, how has your usage of the following options changed? ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT COMMUNITY PROFILE SECTION 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- 32 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Section 5: Community Profile An important part of the pilot program is to understand how the community perceives the program and identify ways to address their concerns. Community input was obtained through an online survey, trip data, and feedback submitted to City staff. The community survey was open to the public from July 22 to August 23, 2022 and was advertised through the City’s pilot program webpage, on the City’s social media channels, at local events, via signage, and through the Bird app. In total, 576 people took the survey including 98 people that had used the e-scooters (17 percent) and 478 people that had not used the program (83 percent). Public Support In its current form, the e-scooter program was not seen favorably with 80 percent of respondents being unsupportive of the program. However, the percentage of people that were supportive of the program increased from 17 percent to 29 percent when asked their position if stronger regulation and oversight were to be provided. Respondents with no opinion also shifted from 3 percent to 11 percent. When asked what modifications they would like to see to the program, respondents overwhelmingly wanted to see more oversight and locations for e-scooter parking. Program operations were also mentioned frequently with issues such as how long e-scooters were left in one place before being considered abandoned and the battery life on the devices when riders would start a trip being common. Figure 17. Public support for the existing e-scooter program increased from 20% for the existing program (left) to 40% when asked if stronger regulation and oversight would change their opinion of the program (right). Very Supportive Somewhat Supportive No Opinion Somewhat Unsupportive Very Unsupportive CURRENT PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM PUBLIC SUPPORT IF MORE REGULATIONS WERE IN PLACE FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM. Opportunities to take the community survey were available through the Bird app ---PAGE BREAK--- 33 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Many survey respondents had not ridden an e-scooter and others had used the program only a few times. Factors that would encourage existing riders to use the e-scooters more often included: making more e-scooters available (20 percent of responses), providing more safe places to ride (17 percent), expanding the area where e-scooters are allowed to operate (12 percent), and providing or integrating with e-scooters in surrounding cities (12 percent). Addressing some of these interests could improve public support for the shared micromobility program. E-Bike Interest Survey participants also expressed interest in e-assist bicycles being provided as a shared micromobility option. Bikes and e-bikes are often more familiar to the public and adding this fleet option could increase the potential user base and address some of the concerns about support for the program. Seventy- eight percent of respondents who currently use an e-scooter stated that they were either likely or very likely to use an e-bike if a vendor provided it as an option. Safety Safety is a priority for the City of Arvada. Public Works partnered with the Arvada Police Department to receive complaints from users and community members. City staff also heard numerous safety concerns voiced by community members through other communication channels. The most frequently reported safety concerns included parking, speed management, and underaged riding. Eighty percent of survey respondents indicated they had concerns about e-scooter safety. However, of those that had actually used an e-scooter, 81 percent said they felt safe or very safe. In response to community concerns about age compliance, Bird included in-app messaging reminding riders that they have to be over 18 and informing them that they need to verify their age through the Bird app. Very Unlikely Unlikely Unsure Likely Very Likely SUPPORT FOR E-BIKES AS MICROMOBILITY OPTION Reported Crashes During the pilot, only one crash was reported. It involved a collision between an e-scooter rider and a motor vehicle in a private parking lot. Bird also reported that approximately 19 scooters needed repair during the pilot period, but that all of these were routine maintenance, none of which suggested damage from unreported crashes. Bird promoted safety with messages displayed on their app. ---PAGE BREAK--- 34 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Equity Providing equitable access is important in making sure that the program is available to everyone and can address the mobility needs of traditionally underserved populations. As part of the application, Bird submitted an equitable service plan to address potential barriers to the service and increase access to shared micromobility. This plan included: औCommunity pricing for individuals meeting certain criteria, such as low-income residents, seniors, students with Pell Grants, veterans, and employees of pre-approved nonprofits. Bird reported that four riders have used the community pricing plan. औAccess for individuals using cash payment options. औAccess for individuals without smart phones. औFocused outreach and engagement efforts in "culturally diverse neighborhoods" and in low-income communities. औMaking materials, website, and app linguistically accessible and ADA compliant. औProviding an adaptive device option for individuals with disabilities, if desired by the City. As part of their application, Bird also offered free e-scooter rides to healthcare workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the pilot’s service boundary was selected to include all of the areas identified as minority and low-income Environmental Justice areas by DRCOG. ---PAGE BREAK--- 35 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT PARKING Overwhelmingly, the top concern of survey responses noted that parking of devices needed to be addressed. E-scooters have been parked in areas blocking sidewalks, have been tipped over, and have been left on citizen's yards and property. Several responses requested to have a requirement for parking locations that riders and vendors must use to pick up and drop off. SIDEWALKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE Sidewalk width, especially in the Olde Town area were noted as inadequate places to leave scooters as it created a tripping hazard for pedestrians. There was a noted desire from survey takers to provide additional on-street infrastructure to safely operate devices. OPERATIONS Operations was noted as another concern in the survey responses. The commentary ranged from the length of time to respond to abandoned scooters to the battery life of the devices. Citizens have expressed concern about scooters remaining in place for several days to a week with a low battery life or a damaged device. From the rider perspective, there was some frustration expressed about the battery life and not being able to fully use the device to get where they needed to go. Once the device powers down, it can be difficult to move to a safe location. EXPANSION Survey responses noted a desire to have a larger operating area to use the devices to assist in running errands and to complete longer trips. Any discussion of expansion should include data on the need for expansion into other areas of the community, coupled with the need to include parking requirements and spaces for the devices. SAFETY Several respondents to the survey noted viewing underaged riders on the e-scooters. There is also concern about e-scooter riders sharing space with pedestrians and conflicts that can arise with the speed differential between pedestrians and the devices. Public Input and City Response Throughout the pilot, riders and non-riders were able to share feedback through the Bird app as well as through the online Speak Up Arvada survey that was open from July 25 to August 23, 2022. The common themes and City responses are summarized below. ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT PILOT FINANCIALS SECTION 6 ---PAGE BREAK--- 37 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Section 6: Pilot Financials The pilot program is set up as a permit that vendors apply for and pay fees to the City for the use of the right-of- way. Funds from the program can be used to pay for staff and resources needed to manage the program and for infrastructure that will help to better manage parking. Collected Revenues The pilot program fee structure is outlined in Section 2 and summarized in Figure 18. A breakdown of the revenue collected from the program is included in Table 2. Figure 18. Fees collected as part of the shared micromobility pilot program. The municipal service fee and some of the operations fees were used to pay for staff time. However, this was not sufficient to cover the true cost of staff time used to manage and oversee the program. Some of the operations fees ($750 as of September 2022) were used to purchase access to the Denver Regional Council of Governments micromobility data sharing portal. Depending on the purpose of the fee, funds from the program are held by the City and used when the purpose of the fee is activated. For example, if the City installs parking racks for e-scooters, then money from the initial per vehicle parking infrastructure fee will be used. City staff are evaluating the potential for e-scooter racks along corridors with high e-scooter volumes and at key destinations such as parks, schools, the foodbank, and community gardens. Bird’s refundable maintenance bond has been deposited in a separate escrow account. No maintenance bond funds have needed to be transferred to reimburse the City of Arvada. What is a “maintenance bond”? A maintenance bond is money held in escrow to reimburse the City of Arvada as needed for costs associated with auditing, removing, and storing improperly parked vehicles. ---PAGE BREAK--- 38 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT MONTH REVENUE REVENUE DESCRIPTION December 2021 $6,500.00 Bird municipal service fee and per vehicle parking infrastructure fee8 January 2022– April 2022 $0.00 N/A May 2022 $1,298.70 operations fees for January through April; Bird municipal service fee and per vehicle parking infrastructure fee for additional scooters9 June 2022 $104.90 operations fees for May July 2022 $198.20 operations fees for June August 2022 $154.40 operations fees for July September 2022 $118.70 operations fees for August October 2022 $142.80 operations fees for September TOTAL $8,517.70 Table 2. Shared Micromobility Pilot Program Revenues Infrastructure The City created and installed trail signs at key strategic trail locations to communicate that Class I and Class 2 e-bikes and e-scooters are allowed on trails. These signs were paid for by the City, but not out of the funds collected from the shared micromobility pilot program. 8 Note: the per vehicle maintenance bond was also collected from Bird and held in a separate escrow account. 9 Ibid. Figure 19. The City paid for signs to be installed on local trails to support the program. ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS SECTION 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- 40 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Section 7: Recommendations Three sets of recommendations were developed, one set preferred, to respond to the analysis and input sourced from data shared via Ride Report, the community survey, the Bird app, and feedback shared directly with City staff. The optional recommendations provide different options for Council to consider on how the program proceeds. PREFERRED RECOMMENDATION: Extend Pilot Program with Stronger Regulations and Oversight. Nearly one third of survey participants indicated that they would be more supportive of the program with stronger regulations and oversight. Extending the pilot program with changes to the Permit Rules and Regulations as well as providing additional infrastructure and education could be tested and evaluated through an extension of the pilot program. The following changes could be implemented through this preferred recommendation: Re-evaluation of Goals. The initial goal of the program was to provide first and last mile connections with transit. The data does not support that the program has been used for that purpose so far. Work with the Transportation Committee to re-evaluate the goals of the program and continue to collect data on transit connections for further evaluation. Update Rules and Regulations. Update Section V. Responsibilities of Permittee of the Rules and Regulations, to address complaints noted in the community survey specifically related to parking compliance, vendor operations, and reporting requirements. Parking Audit for Permit Compliance. Conduct an observational study of parked e-scooters to investigate permit compliance. Use the study findings to compare to the reported problems through city and vendor channels. Set up a formal process for compliance violations from initial reporting through full compliance. Install Designated Parking Locations. Based on feedback from the community during the initial pilot program and in the community survey, most respondents noted that scooters were parked improperly creating tripping hazards, accessibility issues, and an unkempt look of the program. Parking locations should be identified in high traffic areas and parking options should be made available in neighborhoods with narrower sidewalk space either in parks or other public spaces or on-street. Parking locations can consist of micromobility parking racks or painted areas with flex posts. Education on Micromobility Parking. The City of Arvada, along with the vendors should continue to push educational messaging on proper parking behavior to riders. Along with establishing designated parking locations, operators should incentivize parking in designated areas; rebalance the system more frequently and note problem areas where scooters tend to be knocked over; and if education is not working, initiate enforcement through vendor suspending memberships, implementing fines, etc. for frequent offenders. Strong Enforcement of Underage Riders. Concerns about underage riders were noted in the community survey. The City of Arvada should engage with vendors to ensure higher compliance with the minimum age requirement. Education about Transit Connections. Micromobility programs have an opportunity to provide efficient connections to all modes of transportation, especially transit and RTD’s G Line stations. Data shows that during the pilot program, a small percentage of trips were made as a connection to transit. Education campaigns should be undertaken to increase awareness of the program and its benefits for short trips. Designated parking should be identified near RTD stations and key bus stops. Community Engagement. The City and vendors should work with the public to build more support for the program. This could include requiring vendors to participate in a set number of local events and host educational opportunities on an annual basis. ---PAGE BREAK--- 41 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT Tracking of Issues. Currently, concerns are typically routed to city staff email or the e-mobility address if they are not sent directly to the vendor. Bird does track issues through the community mode function on their app. The process for reporting out of compliance e-scooters and the tracking mechanism to address these issues should be better defined. Streamlining the reporting process for community members should be a priority. Increased Operations. Update standards for rebalancing and charging vehicles. Riders noted in the survey that at times, they were stranded due to inadequate battery life of the vehicle and had difficulty moving the vehicle to a safe location once the battery died. Some riders also noted a desire to have the most up-to-date equipment for safety and aesthetic purposes. Cost. In the survey, some riders noted that the cost has been prohibitive and is a barrier to riding more frequently. Increase awareness of low-income discount programs that are provided by the vendor. OPTIONAL RECOMMENDATION 1: Make Micromobility Program Permanent. This option would include all the recommendations that were made in the preferred recommendation to extend the pilot program but would include some additional longer term solutions as well. The following recommendations were made to address the community’s concerns from the pilot program as a longer term program: Service Area. There is some desire from existing riders to expand the service area to provide better access to a larger part of the community. Expansion of the service area boundary should be determined based on data showing desire to cross the existing boundary line and parking amenities should be determined prior to establishing new boundaries. E-bikes. There was an interest from the community in having shared e-bikes added to the fleet if there were set parking standards. Performance Metrics. Expanded data tracking through Ride Report or the vendors. This information should be updated on a more frequent basis on the City’s micromobility program website. Vendors and Devices. There was interest from riders to add vendors to the community’s program and have up-to-date equipment in Arvada. Initiate discussions with vendors about the ability to provide adaptive devices to support people of all ability levels and meet ADA requirements. Reporting. An annual report should be prepared and submitted to the City Council in September for a full evaluation of the program and to update any rules and regulations that require public input. Micromobility Best Practices. Coordinate through DRCOG’s Micromobility Work Group to identify regional best practices and continue research on the industry’s best practices. Interdepartmental Coordination. Set up a City staff group to evaluate the program on a frequent basis and coordinate information related to incidents reported to Police, Parks, City Manager’s Office, or Public Works. Parking Evaluation. Complete parking audits to determine out-of-compliance violations. If necessary, beyond setting up designated parking locations, the next step could be to develop a fully comprehensive parking policy. The City team is currently looking into different technologies that can be used to determine compliance in a more efficient manner. Infrastructure. Continue to implement the on- street bike network identified in the Arvada Bicycle Master Plan to provide a variety of low-stress routes for bicyclists and e-scooter users. ---PAGE BREAK--- 42 ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT OPTIONAL RECOMMENDATION 2: Discontinue Micromobiltiy Program. While there was a noted shift in public support for the program if there were stronger regulations and oversight of the program, overall, 60 percent of respondents were somewhat unsupportive or very unsupportive of the program. If the program were to discontinue, there are still some items that are recommended for wrapping up the pilot program and to address personal e-scooter users: Permits. The current vendor has a permit to operate within the right-of-way. This permit will expire December 31, 2022. Two options would be to let the vendor operate through the end of the year or pull the permit prior to the expiration date. The recommendation would be to let the permit stand through the end of the year with the existing rules and regulations and remove the permitting process through TrakIt. Trails. In conjunction with the pilot program, Class I and II e-bikes as well as e-scooters were exempted from the No Motorized Vehicle prohibition on the trails. It would be the recommendation of city staff to continue to allow this exemption. Infrastructure. Continue to implement the on- street bike network identified in the Arvada Bicycle Master Plan to provide a variety of low-stress routes for bicyclists and e-scooter users. ---PAGE BREAK--- ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT ARVADA SHARED MICROMOBILITY PILOT PROGRAM REPORT