Denver gets stricter rules for scooters

• He added that helping regulate micromobility options like scooters is key to helping limit single-occupancy vehicles.

How it works: The tightened restrictions require scooters and e-bikes to have sidewalk detection technology — it's illegal to ride them on city sidewalks — and to be parked in approved zones or corrals in high-use neighborhoods, including downtown and parts of Five Points.

Driving the news: Denver City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve the new rules for e-bikes and scooters, which have already logged 1 million trips during the first quarter of the year, per council documents.

Threat level: Serious crashes involving scooters are increasing, turning deadly in some cases.

• Scooters are sometimes dumped randomly, turning into a public nuisance and creating unnecessary obstacles for people with disabilities.

Between the lines: The additional rules will make it costlier for micromobility companies to operate in Denver, Hinds said during a recent committee meeting, though he didn't specify how much more the companies will have to pay.

What they're saying: Lime and Bird, which are the only scooter operators in Denver, both support the new measures, per statements from the companies.

• Lime last week made Denver one of a few select cities globally to launch its newest vehicle, the LimeGlider, an electric bike that doesn't require pedaling, reflecting its commitment to the city, Zach Williams, senior director of government relations at Lime, said in a statement to Axios.

The bottom line: Hinds tells us he wants his bill signed into law before the city's transportation department starts its bidding process for a new micromobility contract, which could be this summer.

What's next: The new laws go into effect in 2026, which Hinds tells us will help give the companies time to add the new tech to their scooters.