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Micro-Mobility

Field(s):

Transportation Planning, Community Development, Urban Design, Health, Arts, & Social Planning

Region of Focus: 

General

Micro-mobility refers to small, lightweight transportation devices designed for short-distance trips, typically under 5 miles, including docked/dockless bicycles, e-scooters, and e-bikes. These systems fill the "first-mile/last-mile" gap in urban transit networks, promoting sustainable mobility while reducing congestion and emissions.


Key Characteristics:

  • Vehicle Types: Shared bikes, e-scooters, e-mopeds

  • Operational Models: Station-based/free-floating systems

  • Typical Speeds: 10-20 mph (15-30 km/h)

  • Trip Purpose: Short errands, work commutes, transit connections

Planning Considerations:

  • Infrastructure Needs: Protected lanes, parking corrals

  • Equity Challenges: Service area restrictions, digital divides

  • Safety Impacts: Mixed street integration risks

  • Policy Tools: Permitting systems, fleet caps, geofencing


Last update: 

April 16, 2025

Developed by:
The Urban Lexis Editorial Team


Contributor(s):

Jing Zhang, AICP


With support from:
ChatGPT (by OpenAI) and DeepSeek


We acknowledge the assistance of AI tools in helping draft content. Final edits, fact-checking, and curatorial decisions were made by the Urban Lexis Editorial Team to ensure quality and relevance for our planning community.

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