Dockless Bike, Scooter Pilot Program Considered In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Have you seen those dockless scooters and bicycles appearing on sidewalks around the DC area? Well, Alexandria is considering a pilot program to allow them in the city.

The rentable dockless devices such as bicycles and scooters are similar to Capital Bikeshare, but they aren't locked in a dock. Rather customers can find the devices on designated sidewalk areas and pay to unlock the device. The dockless bikes are provided by private companies, and customers would download an app to use them.

Currently the dockless devices aren't allowed on Alexandria property, although some are appearing on the streets. Pilot programs are underway in Washington, DC, Arlington County and Montgomery County, Md.

Alexandria's proposed nine-month pilot program would allow the rentable mobility devices. The city is seeking feedback from residents on dockless devices in a survey. The survey will determine how much interest there is to offer the dockless devices and address resident concerns and questions.

For residents interested in learning more, the city is hosting an open house and demonstration of the devices on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at at Judy Lowe Neighborhood Park, 7 East Del Ray Avenue. Representatives from the dockless device companies will be on hand to provide information, and residents can try out the devices.

City staff will use resident feedback and results from other pilot programs in the DC area to make a recommendation to City Council this fall.

For more information, visit the city's dockless devices website.

Would you support having these devices in Alexandria? Let us know in the comments.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 09: A Lime dockless electric scooter is parked on a Wilshire Boulevard sidewalk, available for its next rider, on July 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Uber Technologies Inc. is investing with others in a $335 million round of financing in the San Francisco based e-scooter and bikeshare startup. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)