The City of West Hollywood is launching its “Dockless Mobility” pilot program on Thursday, July 1, 2021 with e-scooters and e-bikes from Bird, Lime, and Wheels. A pilot program launch ceremony is anticipated to take place in August 2021.
The City of West Hollywood will permit the use and operation of e-scooters and e-bikes starting Thursday, July 1, 2021. Currently, Lime and Bird will operate e-scooters; Wheels will operate Class-2 throttle assist e-bikes.
The pilot program is part of the City of West Hollywood’s efforts to expand its transportation network by supporting a range of environmentally sustainable options to get around the City and to connect to the region-at-large. The City of West Hollywood works regularly with residents, businesses, and the community-at-large to develop innovative solutions to transportation challenges and to balance the needs of people who walk, bike, use transit, and drive in the City of West Hollywood.
West Hollywood has been voted The Most Walkable City in California by Walk Score, a service that helps promote walkable neighborhoods across the country. Dockless Mobility devices add to the mix by assisting community members in addressing the challenge of “first-mile; last-mile” connectivity to existing transit stops and hubs in the transportation network and will help with car-free local neighborhood-oriented trips.
While e-scooters and e-bikes will be dockless, to ensure they are parked safely and legally, the City of West Hollywood’s Long Range Planning Division and Parking Services Division have collaborated in the development of several designated Dockless Mobility device parking stations throughout the City of West Hollywood. While the City encourages the use of the stations for parking, devices may be parked in any off-street location that does not block pedestrian access to the sidewalk; devices should never be parked in a way that blocks pedestrian activity and access.
Designated parking locations (there is an interactive map) will be marked with visual enhancements during July 2021, and will be in the public-right-of-way (sidewalk areas, providing for sufficient ADA access to pedestrians) adjacent to major intersections including:
- Beverly Boulevard & N. San Vicente Boulevard
- Santa Monica Boulevard & N. Robertson Boulevard
- Santa Monica Boulevard & N. San Vicente Boulevard
- Santa Monica Boulevard & Hancock Avenue
- Santa Monica Boulevard & Westmount Drive
- Santa Monica Boulevard & N. Olive Drive
- Santa Monica Boulevard & N. Crescent Heights Boulevard
- Santa Monica Boulevard & N. Genesee Avenue
- Santa Monica Boulevard & N. Orange Drive
- Lexington Avenue & N. Gardner Street
- Santa Monica Boulevard at Plummer Park
To use e-scooters and e-bikes from Bird, Lime, and Wheels, individuals must create an account with the company of their choice – Bird and Lime for e-scooters and Wheels for Class-2 throttle assist e-bikes:
- Bird – https://www.bird.co
- Lime – https://www.li.me/electric-
scooter - Wheels – https://takewheels.com
Users of e-scooters and e-bikes must have a valid driver license or instructional permit and must wear a helmet while riding. Only one person is allowed on a device at a time and e-scooters and e-bikes must be ridden on the road, never on the sidewalk. Users are advised to ride as far to the right side of traffic lane or in designated and marked bike lanes whenever possible and users must always ride in the direction of traffic.
The City of West Hollywood will oversee management of the Dockless Mobility pilot program through a partnership with ABM, which provides industry-leading transportation and parking management services. ABM will monitor streets and the public-right-of-way to ensure quality of life concerns are addressed, such as uninterrupted pedestrian activity and access. Concerns may be submitted to the City using the Service Request function on the City’s website or through the West Hollywood Official City App, which is available as a free download for iPhone users on the App Store and for Android users on Google Play. Concerns and feedback may be submitted by email, as well, at parkingconcerns@weho.org or by phone at (213) 247-7720.
For more information about the City of West Hollywood’s Dockless Mobility Pilot Program, please contact Rachel Dimond, Senior Planner, City of West Hollywood Long Range Planning Division, at (323) 848-6486 or rdimond@weho.org; or Coby Wagman, Parking Operations Supervisor, City of West Hollywood Parking Services Division, at (323) 848-6514 or cwagman@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.
The City of West Hollywood remains in a declared local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. West Hollywood City Hall and many public City buildings and facilities have been shut to in-person transactions as services were transitioned to a virtual environment to safeguard community health and safety. The City of West Hollywood is implementing plans to reopen in-person services at City Hall in July 2021; details will be forthcoming on the City’s website www.weho.org. City Hall remains fully accessible for services with transactions to be conducted by phone (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website.
City of West Hollywood coronavirus updates are available at www.weho.org/coronavirus and the City encourages community members to follow @wehocity on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and to turn on notifications. Sign up for news updates at www.weho.org/email and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar.
For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.