Sharing the street with e-micromobility

Infrastructure

The most impactful thing we can do is allocate more space for micromobility of all kinds. It may sound counterintuitive to give more space to something that feels like it’s dominating the roadway (although cars – which are bigger, heavier, faster, and more dangerous than all micromobility – are the only thing actually dominating the streets), but that feeling is in large part due to current infrastructure not meeting our needs. Unpredictable behavior, like riding on sidewalks or riding the wrong way on a street, is a symptom of that gap between needs and reality. These behaviors are also illegal and create real danger for people. New York City must pursue a holistic approach to micromobility that creates adequate, well-designed space for everyone.

1. Vastly expand protected bike lane infrastructure in NYC, including creation of lanes specifically for e-devices.

   Wider bike lanes, like the one recently installed on Ninth Avenue, allow for two lanes of bike traffic, just like a two-lane street for cars – slower riders, like those on traditional bikes, can comfortably ride in one lane while faster riders and e-devices can pass them safely in the other. This treatment unclogs bike lanes while ensuring everyone feels safe and comfortable. It also negates the need for e-bike users to circumvent a congested bike lane by riding on the sidewalk or into car traffic.

2. Every bike lane should be immediately adjacent to the sidewalk, with parking lanes (when they exist) between car lanes and bike lanes.

   This will reduce the frequency of e-bikes on sidewalks, because delivery workers can use the bike lane to travel directly to the location of any delivery on a bike lane route. Where there is no bike lane, mid-block loading zones/access points can help ensure that delivery workers do not ride on the sidewalk. In all cases, DOT should work to create holistic streets that accommodate bikes along with other important curbside uses such as outdoor dining, bikeshare, trash containerization, commercial loading zones, and more.

3. Commit to designing every future bike lane as bi-directional and double wide.

   Wrong-way riding is inevitable on small nimble devices, especially if food workers are on the clock to deliver orders; no one is going to go a long block out of their way. Legalizing this through infrastructure, and designing for it to be safe, will increase predictability for everyone. Pedestrians will know to look both ways when crossing the street, just as they do on a street with two-way motor vehicle traffic, and busy e-micromobility riders can rely on safe infrastructure that meets their needs.

4. Expand the number of busways in Manhattan.

   Busways provide safe lanes for micromobility at all times when a bus is not present (a large portion of the time). Data from 14th Street before and after the creation of the busway showed dramatic safety improvements for all users, including those on micromobility. Compared to the four years before the 14th Street busway was fully implemented in October 2019, the following four years saw a 57% decrease in total injuries — 44% for cyclists, 46% for pedestrians, and 73% for motorists.

5. Implementing people-centered design for lower traffic neighborhoods would greatly increase the overall safety of our streets.

   Corridors with high vehicle traffic make pedestrians feel vulnerable amid chaotic streets – the emergence of e-micromobility has heightened that feeling. But thoughtful design can slow traffic and make pedestrians feel that they have more safe space on streets and sidewalks, leading to less friction with micromobility and more feelings of comfort. DOT’s Street Improvement Projects, bike boulevards, traffic calming measures, and curb reform can all be impactful here.