An ordinance and a 25-year franchise agreement worked up by city staff with the California-based electric scooter rental firm failed to gain enough traction to earn the six votes needed in a first hearing Monday, Aug. 23.
Bird in a statement issued Thursday, Aug. 26, said it would continue to work with Moorhead - and Fargo, too - with hopes for agreements with both cities in 2022.
Worries about scooter clutter and potential traffic issues and lawsuits pumped the brakes on the effort to give the micromobility transport system the green light.
Council member Deb White supported the plan, which would have brought 100 scooters initially to Moorhead.
“I think this is something that can really open up some transportation opportunities,” White said. “This can be a way that more people can get access to our mass transit system.”
White added that it would also curb the city’s reliance on cars and trucks.
“We’re looking for more younger folks to move here. It’s something they expect to use. … It’s kind of that shift we’re seeing in a lot of areas. These are the kinds of things that people are looking for,” White said.
RELATED:
But council member Chuck Hendrickson said his scooter experience in the Twin Cities was a turn off.
“We saw scooters everywhere, laying in the middle of walking paths” along the river and by US Bank Stadium in the Minneapolis’ downtown. “It just looked like a total mess. In one place we had to dodge scooters. … I’m not going to support this.”
Council member Shelly Dahlquist said she worried about potential lawsuits.
Bird, an electric scooter rental service, approached Fargo and Moorhead officials earlier this year about bringing its scooters to the two cities. A franchise agreement failed to attract enough votes from the Moorhead City Council on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. Special to The Forum
The council voted 5 in favor and 3 against the agreement, leaving it one vote shy of the supermajority needed to pass. Council members White, Laura Caroon, Heather Nesemeier, Larry Seljevold and Steve Lindaas voted to go ahead with the agreement. Voting against were Hendrikson, Dahlquist and Matthew Gilbertson.
Bird plans to keep working with Moorhead officials and is "hopeful that we’ll be able to help the city with their transportation goals in 2022," the company said in an email reply to The Forum.
"Bird has also been in touch with city officials in Fargo, with the hope of helping them with their transportation needs as early as Spring 2022," the company said.
“The demand for micromobility alternatives to gas-powered vehicles has never been higher. In addition to offering sustainable transit options, scooters and bikes also provide a means of minimizing congestion and supporting local economic recovery during the pandemic," the company said.
Jim Gilmour, Fargo's director of city planning and research, said city staff had not yet put together a group to study the issue. He said bringing scooters to Fargo would require changes to city ordinances.
A Bird scooter awaits a rider in this undated photo supplied by the company. Contributed / Bird
"We just haven't done adequate research yet," Gilmour said.
Fargo has had success with the Great Rides Bike Share program, though it remains on hiatus after service was disrupted by the ongoing pandemic and talks continue on a new service agreement.
The Moorhead City Council had directed staff in May to draft an agreement with Bird.
The agreement would have made scooters available from 4 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, Assistant City Planner Forrest Steinhoff said.
Bird said a typical ride cost about $5 for five minutes and that scooters would most likely be used along the riverfront, downtown and retail areas, and around the college and university campuses.
The agreement had included restrictions on where the scooters could be legally parked, and fines and impound fees if abandoned scooters were not corralled by Bird within 24 hours. The agreement also required that the local manager live in Cass or Clay counties.
A franchise fee of 5% of Bird’s gross revenue in Moorhead was to be paid in monthly, with the funds to be designated for sidewalk and trail upkeep and improvement, or to the general fund, Steinhoff said.
Bird was founded in 2017 by Travis VanderZanden, who is also the CEO. The firm provides micromobility options in more than 300 cities worldwide.
"bird" - Google News
August 29, 2021 at 08:00PM
https://ift.tt/3gHSWpM
Deal to bring electric scooters to Moorhead comes up short; Bird hopes to recharge talks with city - INFORUM
"bird" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2s1zYEq
https://ift.tt/3dbExxU
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Deal to bring electric scooters to Moorhead comes up short; Bird hopes to recharge talks with city - INFORUM"
Post a Comment