Pensacola starts corralling its e-scooter herd
Parking corrals for e-scooters in the North Florida city, Dade getting paid for transit projects, and MADD asks cyclists to tie one on for safety
Parking corrals for e-scooters now in Pensacola
Beginning December 7, shared e-scooters in Pensacola will be required to be parked in designated parking corrals, reports WKRG. Earlier this year the city decided to only allow seated e-scooters as part of its shared micromobility program, with Veo being the only operator at this point. Bird will be joining the market with its own seated e-scooters.
The parking corrals are marked with an “E-scooter Parking” sticker, along with striping and posts, and identified on the Veo app or a map provided by the city.
The requirement applies to shared e-scooters that are located inside the downtown core and would end the ride in the Required Parking Zone. Riders ending their ride outside of those areas are free to responsibly park on sidewalks provided they allow a 4-foot pedestrian path. The area in question is “bounded by Garden Street, Spring Street, Tarragona Street and Main Street, extending to Plaza de Luna on South Palafox Street,” as reported by WKRG.
MADD joining with cyclists to Tie One On for Safety
For 36 years Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has run its Tie One On for Safety campaign to remind drivers to use a designated driver during the busy holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. For the first time, though, MADD is encouraging bicyclists to join the campaign by partnering with bike clubs and stores across Florida, according to WFTV.
Riders will receive a free #TieOneOnForSafety red ribbon that can be tied to their bicycle. Traditionally the red ribbons are tied to a car wheel, rearview mirror, or door handle.
“While most people associate MADD with only vehicles, vulnerable roadway users such as cyclists make up an alarming number of the victims that we serve and advocate for, and that is why we are working to create a safer Florida for everyone who shares the road,” said MADD regional executive director Larry Coggins.
As the article notes:
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Eve through New Year’s Eve in 2020, there were 1,133 lives lost to drunk driving across the country, accounting for 30% of all traffic deaths.
In addition, a new study by NHTSA shows an alarming 7% increase in alcohol-related crashes in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 2021.
Miami-Dade set to reap the benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
In the latest tranche of grants from the Federal Transit Administration, Miami-Dade County is set to receive a tenth the money being doled out, or $1.4 million, to support transit projects, according to Florida Politics. The money is earmarked for work done in the northeastern and southeastern corners of the county.
The Northeast Corridor, with its commuter rail projects, is set to receive $840,000 that will go towards a master plan for mixed-use, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly projects along the line. Another $533,000 will go towards the South Corridor and applied along the South Dade Transitway which is a 20-mile busway from the Metrorail station near Dadeland Mall to Homestead.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement on the funding announcements:
Strong public transit systems — including our roads, bridges, and bicycle and pedestrian safety — connect our residents to good-paying jobs, protect our environment and improve our quality of life.
BMW designed golf carts could soon be rolling through Florida
Golf carts, to an extent, are micromobility. And many areas around Florida see them as the primary mode of transportation, like The Villages. Now Club Car, one of the leading golf cart companies, has drafted BMW’s Designworks to completely revolutionize golf carts that now “looks like an oversized golf cart but works like a low-speed car—and even meets automotive safety standards,’ according to Fast Company.
The electric golf cart, at a pricey $27,000, can operate up to a speed of 25 mph with 5 passengers for a range of 30 miles.
It was only a matter of time.