Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Bike Sharing

Pro Tip for Managing Dockless Bike-Share “Clutter” — Give Them Space on the Street

12:28 PM EDT on April 26, 2018

So close, Seattle! The city is reserving space for dockless bike-share parking on the sidewalk, not the curb lane. Photo: Seattle DOT

Dockless bike-share fleets -- and now dockless scooters -- are arriving in American cities by the tens of thousands.

Like anything new on the street, these vehicles have not been introduced without controversy. Much of the pushback relates to the issue of storage: Where do they go when they aren't being used? So many articles have been written about dockless bike-share "clutter" at this point, it's already a genre you can parody.

But as bike-share expert Alex Baca has pointed out, there's a readily available solution to the storage problem: Just reserve some curb space for bike-share parking.

Stefani Cox at the Better Bike Share Blog reports that one U.S. city is already doing this -- sort of. Seattle has started reserving sidewalk space -- but not street space -- for parking dockless bikes.

So far the city has designated five bike-share parking areas in the Ballard neighborhood. Seattle DOT says the 6-by-10-foot zones were selected because they won't interfere with pedestrian access. All spaces are out of the way of buildings, bus stops, curb ramps, and loading zones.

But the easiest way to avoid interfering with people walking is to put these bike parking areas in the curb lane. Seattle's not doing that, at least not yet.

Seattle does have on-street bike corrals, and oddly enough, the city even put a dockless bike-share zone on the sidewalk next to a corral.

If cities really want to make dockless bike-share work, they'll have to get over their aversion to repurposing car parking spaces for other uses.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out

Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.

September 22, 2023

Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers

"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."

September 22, 2023

Op-Ed: Why Is Fare Evasion Punished More Severely than Speeding?

A.B. 819 offers California the opportunity to decriminalize fare evasion and replace punitive measures with more equitable approaches.

September 21, 2023

Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development

We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.

September 21, 2023

City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing

Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.

September 21, 2023
See all posts