Recent electric scooter news is defined by tragedy.
Most of the electric scooter news Planetizen has collected over the past month has reflected an ongoing process of discovering, reacting, and beginning to regulate electric scooter rentals—a narrative repeated in cities all over the country as companies like Lime and Bird expand operations to new cities.
In recent weeks, however, the human cost of throwing a new mode into a public realm already engineered with massive risks to public health built into the transportation infrastructure has become evident. Whether reports of fatalities and injuries lead to stricter regulations and limits on operations (i.e., more car-oriented status quo) or a sea change in transportation infrastructure is the question of the day, week, month, year, and beyond.
National News
- Hospital ER reports 161 percent spike in visits involving electric scooters (The Washington Post, Sept. 24)
- Bird’s electric scooters are getting more rugged to handle heavy use (The Verge, Sept. 24)
National Commentary
- E-Scooter Deaths Show Urgent Need for Safer Streets (Streetsblog USA, Sept 24)
Local News
- Man Riding Scooter Dies After Being Hit By SUV In Dupont Circle (DCist, Sept. 21)
- Central Ohioans collect, charge electric scooters overnight as side job with flexible hours (The Columbus Dispatch [paywall], Sept. 25)
- Spin aims to be third scooter company to roll into Detroit (Crain's Detroit Business, Sept. 26)
- Another first for scooters in L.A.: a conviction for scooting under the influence (Los Angeles Times, Sept. 26)
- Traffic halted through Dupont Circle in vigil for man killed on scooter (WTOP, Sept. 27)
Local Commentary
- Are scooters a mobility solution? (Crain's Detroit Business, Sept. 23)
- Scooters aren’t to blame for crashes — car-centric streets are (Greater Greater Washington, Sept. 24)
- How to alleviate Denver’s growing conflict between bikes, scooters, pedestrians and cars (The Denver Post, Sept. 26)
- It’s been __ days since a driver killed someone walking, biking, or scooting in DC (Greater Greater Washington, Sept. 26)
- Kids love e-scooters—why aren’t they allowed to ride them? (Curbed LA, Sept. 27)
Scooter Media Brief: Safety, Security, and Business Models Raise Concerns
Recent news has revealed some cracks in the pavement below the speedy wheels of electric scooter share.
Can the Scooter Business Outlast the Coronavirus?
It's the end of the scooter as we know it.
Survey Says: Fear of Cars Drives Scooter Riders to Sidewalks
An email survey of scooter riders in Salt Lake City would seem to make the case for more robust investment in high-quality active transportation infrastructure.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.
Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.
Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont