Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 52-13. Micromobility Policies, Permits, and Practices

Micromobility vehicles and shared micromobility technologies (hereafter micromobility) are deploying rapidly in many cities across the United States and internationally. Lacking a standard definition, micromobility can include any small, personal transportation technology that travels slower than 20 to 30 mph (link to SAE doc). They can be motorized and are frequently operated on pedestrian- or bicycle-oriented infrastructure. Often, they are bicycles, e-bikes, or e-scooters. The rapid spread of micromobility has led to confusion and concern on the part of cities and states seeking to take advantage of the benefits of these devices while minimizing the negative impacts. The objective of this synthesis is to document policies, permits, and practices that state departments of transportation (DOTs) are engaged with in regard to micromobility. Information gathered includes (but is not limited to) the following: (1) The role of DOTs with regard to micromobility, including coordination with metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and municipalities (2) State definitions of micromobility; (3) DOT policies and regulations (e.g. permitting, enforcement, monitoring, public health, emergency management); (4) Challenges and opportunities regarding micromobility facing DOTs; (5) Documentation of multi-department support required for the planning, operation, and maintenance of these systems (e.g. parking corals, geofences, on-street infrastructure, sidewalk-riding); (6) Infrastructure design standards and maintenance for micromobility; (7) DOT approaches to using flexible regulatory language that covers future technological advancements (e.g. form factors) in micromobility; (8) Policies and procedures regarding integration and competition between other mobility options, such as walking, private car, transit, transportation network companies (TNCs), and taxi services; (9) Data collection, monitoring, and evaluation efforts conducted by and/or shared with DOTs (e.g. mobility data specification, crash data, injury data); and (10) Policies regarding ensuring equitable access across issues such as digital and income divide, persons with disabilities, racial and cultural, spatial, temporal, language, and gender. Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.

Record URL:

Language

English

Project

Status: Active
Funding: $45000
Contract Numbers:
Project 20-05, Topic 52-13
Sponsor Organizations:
National Cooperative Highway Research Program

Transportation Research Board
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001

Federal Highway Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590
Project Managers:
Harwood, Leslie
Performing Organizations:
University of South Florida, Tampa

Center for Urban Transportation Research
3650 Spectrum Boulevard
Tampa, FL United States 33612-9446
Principal Investigators:
Kolpakov, Alexander
Start Date: 20210209
Expected Completion Date: 0
Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Bicycles; Cities; Electric vehicles; Equity (Justice); Light vehicles; Literature reviews; Permits; Policy; Ridesourcing; Scooters; Shared mobility; State departments of transportation
Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Policy; Public Transportation; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01739532
Record Type: Research project
Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 52-13
Files: TRB, RIP
Created Date: May 18 2020 3:06PM