Downtown Monthly: Scooters 2.0 🛴

New Rules On Electric Scooters, Bikes – July 2023

Shared motorized scooters and bikes officially made their comeback in recent weeks. The reintroduction of what are often called "micromobility options" was a result of collaborative efforts between the City, Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI), and many other stakeholders to improve operations and address concerns that put the program on pause in 2020.

The relaunched Shared Dockless Vehicle Program aligns with the objectives of DDI’s strategic 360 Plan, which emphasizes increasing mobility choices and leveraging new technologies to offer options for short automobile trips. To update the program, the City Council established a "Micromobility Working Group," which included representation from DDI, Uptown, Deep Ellum, residents, and other stakeholders. This group played a crucial role, focusing on enhancing operations and addressing key issues from the past.

The new program incorporates several important measures to improve operations while reintroducing this valuable mode of transportation, including:

• Limiting the number of operating companies to three, vetted by City staff and governed by the updated program rules.
• Capping the maximum number of scooters deployed per operator and block.
• Slow and No-ride zones in areas such as parks and some public spaces.
• City provided parking corrals and staging requirements for scooter deployment.

DDI remains engaged with the City to identify corral areas and address stakeholder concerns related to operator companies.

Everything you need to know about the new program, including responses to FAQs, can be found here. Any scooter problems can be reported to 311 by phone or app.

In Other Downtown News ...

The Dallas Police Department now requires online or phone reporting for some less serious crimes instead of sending uniformed officers for in-person reports. The change is meant to free up officers to respond faster to the most serious calls, police say. Learn more.

DDI announces 2023 matching grants for projects that enhance the appearance, safety, and functional quality of public spaces in Downtown. The grants, totaling more than $150,000, were selected by the nonprofit's Public Space & Improvements Committee. Read more.

Panelists at Bisnow's "Future of Downtown & Southern Dallas" event stressed the importance of improved connectivity, integration with existing buildings, and the creation of a vibrant Downtown fabric – many goals in line with the strategic 360 Plan which guides DDI’s work. Read more.

Starship Bagel in Downtown Dallas is one of the best bagel spots in America (outside of New York), says Bon Appétit magazine. "It was precisely owner Oren Salomon’s goal to bring New York bagel culture to Dallas," the magazine says. Read more.

DDI Members In The News

-- DDI Board of Directors member and longtime broker Sara Terry talks about her decision to join Pacific Elm Properties, led by Jonas Woods, as its new chief marketing officer. Read more from CoStar.

-- Downtown's Santander Tower will welcome its first apartment residents, The Dallas Morning News reports. DDI Board member company Pacific Elm Properties and Mintwood Real Estate have converted 11 floors of the 50-story tower into luxury residential units.

-- The Joule hotel's "eight-foot cantilevered pool jutting out from the side of the tower" is one of the nine coolest pools in the world, writes Architectural Digest. 

-- Switzerland-based Empira Group plans to build a 375-unit residential tower with 37 floors on Pearl Street across from the Plaza of the Americas, The Dallas Morning News reports. Dallas-based architects GFF will design the project.

*Bold = DDI member organizations

July 1969: Update on Construction of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway

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