Yesterday, Denver’s Land Use, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee received more information from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, or DOTI, to help the city council representatives on the committee to push it along to the full council. But that did not happen; the next meeting about the scooter situation will be on Tuesday, April 27.
There was more information given to the council members. After all, these contracts would be for five years. There were comparisons of Austin, Seattle and Minneapolis to Denver with the values and permit fee revenues in other cities. There were two tiers of permitting costs, and the cost of violation of licenses, and the two scooter and bike companies – Lime and Lyft — were given no special treatment.
As an aside, BusinessDen had asked DOTI last week for the proposals from the companies that submitted bids for the license, as well as details of the agreementswith Lyft and Lime. The department said it would release that information, if requested, only after the licenses are approved. Of course, by then, everything will be all sewn up.
When a member of city council, Amanda Sandoval from District 1, said she had asked for a copy of the contract although it was not finalized, she was told no.
BusinessDen’s story this morning quoted this: “ ‘That’s challenging for me to move this out of committee.’ ” She also said that it was problematic when she found scooters left behind in front of the door of her council office on Platte Street. Plus, there are not enough parking enforcement employees, who are “ ‘working more now with less resources than ever. So to say adding a little workload without having a full body, I have tension on that.’ “
Another city council member also had concerns, as noted by Colorado Politics:
“The motion to delay was proposed by Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca (representing District 9), who expressed concern about not having access to the proposed contracts and the lack of detail in the proposals’ parking plans for e-scooters and bikes while they’re not being used.
“ ‘It sounds like it’s a pretty important part of the plan to have these spaces determined,’ CdeBaca said. ‘Why are we moving forward without the plan being complete?’ ”
Indeed. For those who have dealt with the scooters whizzing by you on a sidewalk, there are issues, although since scooters have been not been in several areas. Equity would be important for neighborhoods that do not have cars or nearby transit.
But, for City Council Representative Chris Herndon, from District 8, and the chair of the LUTI committee said, was quoted by BusinessDen:
“ ‘It’s not about creating scooters,’ he said. ‘They’re here. It’s about moving from a pilot program to a permanent one. If you support that, you’ll vote to move forward. I say this tongue in cheek, but I’d like the same problem of scooters all over my district that some of you have, because there are none in District 8. That’s my frustration. People in District 8 haven’t had the opportunity to utilize this, and I’m excited about this equity program. I have questions about the length, like others, and about just two providers. But I’m comfortable moving it forward.’ “
Just two links, but what is interesting is that after three years of dealing with scooters left here and there, it’s time to make sure that the scooter riders understand what they are doing.
Chandler in Denver 
City Hall Stand-off
Eulois Clleckley, Mgr Dept of Infrst. & Transp: The multi- million$$ contract is, ‘None of your biz, City Council. Approve it!’
CMan Chris Herndon: Sure thing
Cwomen: CeD’Baca & Sandoval: No
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I can hardly wait to see the next installment of the scooter games. Thanks, Susan. It’s been a saga, and sometimes it cannot just be one-and-done.
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