WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city of West Hollywood has started to deploy the new generation of Lime e-bikes for bikeshare as part of the regions “Dockless Mobility” pilot program and plans to launch Bird’s E-Bikes in August.
In press release from the city of West Hollywood, over 25 Lime e-bikes are currently available throughout the city each day. That number could increase to a total of 50 e-bikes as the program increases ridership in the coming months. Bikes are equipped with powerful motors to aid riders over steep inclines, phone holders, automatic two-speed transmission, and a modular design with an estimated life span of up to five years. The bikes are powered by long-range swappable batteries that decrease van trips and save the energy otherwise required for transporting heavy vehicles. The battery improves vehicle availability for riders and reduces the number of uncharged, unusable vehicles on sidewalks.
West Hollywood becomes the first city in the Greater Los Angeles region and one of only four cities in the state (the other three cities are Sacramento, West Sacramento, and San Diego) to have a fleet of Lime’s Gen4 E-Bikes. West Hollywood will join Culver City and San Diego as the third city in the state with Bird’s brand-new fleet of shared e-bikes when they are deployed in August 2022. The Bird e-assist bikes will come with several safety and sustainability features including dual hand brakes, advanced onboard diagnostics, aluminum alloy framing and a maximum range of 56 miles on a single battery charge.
The Dockless Mobility Pilot Program is part of West Hollywood’s efforts to expand its transportation network by supporting a range of environmentally sustainable options to get around the area and to connect to the region-at-large. 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.
West Hollywood was 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 users go car-free for local neighborhood-oriented trips.
While e-scooters and e-bikes are dockless, West Hollywood’s Long Range Planning Division and Parking Services Division collaborated in the development of several designated dockless mobility device parking stations throughout West Hollywood. The city will 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. The region is working with operators to provide riders with “virtual parking stations” which will be located on a user’s mobile app.
To use the city’s authorized e-scooters and e-bikes, Bird, Lime, and Wheels, individuals must create an account with the company of their choice – Bird and Lime for e-scooters and e-bikes and Wheels for Class-2 throttle assist e-bikes.
Users of e-scooters and e-bikes must have a valid driver’s license or instructional permit and are encouraged to wear a helmet while riding. Helmets are required for riders 18 years old or younger. Only one person is allowed on a device at a time and e-scooters and e-bikes must be used on the road and not 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.
West Hollywood oversees the management of the Dockless Mobility pilot program through a partnership with ABM, which provides industry-leading transportation and parking management services. ABM staff and Block by Block security ambassadors monitor streets and the public-right-of-way to ensure quality of life concerns are addressed, such as uninterrupted pedestrian activity and access. Concerns about dockless mobility devices may be submitted to the city using the Service Request function on the website or through the West Hollywood Official City App. Concerns and feedback can be submitted by email, as well, at parkingconcerns@weho.org or by phone at (213) 247-7720.
For additional details about West Hollywood’s Dockless Mobility Pilot Program, visit the “Mobility Planning” section of the City’s Long Range Planning webpage www.weho.org/lrp.
For more information contact Paige Portwood, Associate Planner, West Hollywood Long Range Planning Division, at (323) 848-6486 or pportwood@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 call TTY (323) 848-6496.
