Scooters Return To Coral Gables

From the City of Coral Gables:

October 21, 2020

The City of Coral Gables is the first municipality in Miami-Dade County to bring back scooters as a transportation alternative since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Coral Gables is a municipal leader in green initiatives and energy saving innovations,” said Douglas Cobb, Coral Gables Senior Traffic Engineer and Micro mobility Program Manager. “We are proud to be a hub for ride sharing and ride alternatives by offering free trolley, ‘Freebie’ golf cart transportation, and now electric scooters for residents and visitors. We hope scooters increase the number of people that visit our central business district.”

Currently, there are 50 Spin electric scooters spread across the Miracle Mile, Merrick Park, and metro areas making exploring Coral Gables even easier. The City will soon welcome an additional 50 Bird electric scooters. Scooters in Coral Gables will have a top speed of 15 mph. While the scooters will be welcomed and encouraged throughout Coral Gables, certain areas will be deemed ‘No Ride Zones’ due to an increased amount of pedestrian activity including Miracle Mile, the Granada Golf Course and Giralda Plaza.

E-scooters offer a safe alternative to getting around the city. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Spin has increased the frequency with which scooters are disinfected. Each scooter is cleaned with disinfectant wipes or spray and a clean towel at all major points of contact—handlebars and mast—before it can be repaired or charged so that riders always receive sanitized scooters. Once Bird returns, they will follow similar cleaning protocols.

This press release was produced by the City of Coral Gables. The views expressed here are the author’s own.