Attention: For those who have longed to skip the car and take Bird home from a Cavs/Guardians game, dinner, or as an RTA connector after work, now is your chance at a more reasonable time.
Starting next week, January 27th, Cleveland residents will be able to activate Bird, Lime and LINK electric scooters parked in the city until 11 p.m. Earlier restrictions forced riders to ride between 5am and 9pm (shared bikes, like those offered by Bird, were and remain available 24/7.)
A city release said the expanded hours are due to a series of mobility studies showing demand for access later in the evening.
“The extended ride time on e-scooters provides more opportunities for people interested in getting around Cleveland without a car,” said Kelly Mersmann, senior strategist for Transit & Mobility. “We have heard from many riders who have been restricted by the current 9pm curfew. This upgrade is one step towards the city’s broader goal of encouraging walking, cycling, scootering and public transport.”
The response to the feedback suggests that the city is supporting a move away from car dependence along with a gradual transformation into an 18-hour city.
And increasing access to e-scooters is the foundation of achieving that mark. Such an expansion puts Cleveland in the realm of other, larger US cities, like Chicago, where you can ride scooters until midnight, or New York, where you can ride around Manhattan 24/7.
That is, they said in the city, until drunken people screw it up.
“The city will work closely with police, community partners and e-scooter businesses to monitor and address any potential negative impacts of the extended hours,” the release said.
So, drive responsibly.
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https://www.clevescene.com/news/cleveland-extends-e-scooter-hours-until-11-pm-finally-and-mercifully-41244272