Lime pushes to allow scooters on Chicago's Lakefront Trail

Officials behind Lime scooters are pushing to allow shared electric scooters on the Lakefront Trail.

Why it matters: As the city's longest protected bikeway, the trail could offer safer and faster commutes to thousands if the scooters were allowed, Lime says in a report it's releasing this week with data from Chicago riders.

State of play: The Park District bans usage of rentable electric scooters on the Lakefront Trail and The 606 because of congestion concerns.

• Rented electric bikes and private electric scooters, however, are allowed.

What they're saying: "More than 85% of our riders agree or strongly agree that shared scooters should be allowed on the lakefront," Lime's government and community relations director LeAaron Foley tells Axios.

• He says Lime would address parking and speed concerns by building 100 lakefront parking spots and automatically reducing speed abilities in busy areas.
• Foley says Lime would also "provide valet service at big events where we gather the scooters, as we did at Milwaukee's Summerfest or the recent NFL Draft in Detroit."

Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th), who often bikes the Lakefront Trail, supports opening it to scooters, "as long as we're educating the public on how to use them in a safe way," she tells Axios.

• Last year, active transportation groups Better Streets Chicago and Bike Lane Uprising told Crain's they would also support the expansion.

The other side: Park District officials did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails from Axios.

The intrigue: The scooter company is partially framing the expansion as an equity issue, noting that current rules favor those who can afford to buy a scooter.

• Lime already offers 50% discounts to riders who start their trips in city-designated equity priority areas on the South and West side.
• So is there an equity argument to be made? "There might be," Mayor Brandon Johnson responded last week. "We will soon have an equity chief in my administration and that is something we would explore with them."