Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Bike Sharing

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

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

Wednesday’s Headlines Stick With What Works

Forget robotaxis. Just make the bus come frequently and on time.

July 16, 2025

Can Colleges Do A Better Job of Fighting Car Dependency?

"How great would it be if kids graduated without the assumption that they must be completely dependent on a personal automobile?"

July 16, 2025

Commentary: The French City of Lyon Shows How to Connect Communities Without Cars

An amazing 24/7 bike-ped-transit connection can be made for pennies on the dollar.

July 15, 2025

America’s Kids Deserve Better Than a Waymo Subscription

What do America's young people lose when they have to buy independence from a corporation that rents out driverless cars?

July 15, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines Aren’t Falling Fast Enough

Pedestrian deaths dropped by 4 percent last year, but remain well above pre-pandemic figures.

July 15, 2025

Advocates Fight To Prevent 40% Transit Service Cuts in Illinois

Public transit riders, workers, and advocates showed up in force for Saturday's Save Transit Rally at Daley Plaza, calling on state lawmakers to pass a bill to address Chicagoland's looming $771 million fiscal cliff.

July 14, 2025
See all posts