The Transportation Department is now accepting applications from shared micromobility companies for a permit to operate services in Bellevue. Operators are subject to the 2020 Shared Micromobility Permit Special Conditions. Permits will be valid from issuance through December 31, 2020. The annual lease fee will be prorated to the quarter of service launch. Applications will continue to be accepted throughout the year; instructions are included in the permit special conditions.
The 2020 permit follows Bellevue's 2018–19 bike share pilot. It builds on lessons learned, incorporates national best practices, and responds to a rapidly evolving industry while remaining true to the intent, goals, and strategies of the pilot's framework, which have been updated and formalized as the Shared Micromobility Framework.
About the 2018–19 bike share pilot
The City of Bellevue launched a one-year bike share pilot on July 31, 2018. The electric-assisted bikes were owned and operated by Lime, a private company, under a permit issued by the city. Over the course of the pilot, more than 9,000 people took more than 40,000 trips on Lime’s e-bikes in Bellevue. The permit to use public right of way to provide bike share service was subject to specific conditions, including requirements related to safety, parking, operations and data-sharing. Lime paid a fee to offset costs associated with managing the pilot. After extending the permit through the fall, Lime notified the City on November 26, 2019 that it had chosen to end service in Bellevue.
More information about bike share in Bellevue:
- Draft Bellevue Bike Share Pilot Evaluation Report – Summarizes system performance during the 2018–19 permit year
- Pilot Evaluation: TRAC Research Queries and Results – Presents evaluation questions posed and answered using GPS-based mobility data
- Fall 2019 online questionnaire – Conducted by the City
- Digital flyer
- Results summary by question / All results data
- Fall 2018 Lime user survey – Conducted by Lime at the direction of the City
- Customer service records – Questions, comments, and complaints communicated to the Transportation Department
- UW student reports – Student research on bike share parking and greenhouse gas emissions
More information about the bike share pilot:
- Bike Share Pilot Framework – Provides information on Bellevue's approach to the pilot.
- Permit Special Conditions – Provides details about the conditions of Lime’s permit.
- Frequently Asked Questions – Explains what bike share is and how to use it.
- Bike Hubs Catalog – Includes photos and location information for preferred parking areas.
Parking
Although there are currently no operators permitted in Bellevue, people who use services in neighboring communities may sometimes ride shared bicycles or scooters here. If you are one of those users, please remember to park them responsibly.
DO: Park bikes in designated areas, at bike racks, and along sidewalks next to curbs. When visiting city parks, please leave bikes outside the park entrance.
DON'T: Park bikes in a way that blocks walkways or travel lanes, bus doors, or sidewalk corners and wheelchair ramps.
Bike Hubs: White boxes and symbols have been painted at 50 locations across the city, including in Downtown, Crossroads, Factoria, and near major bus stops. These preferred parking areas help reduce the number of dockless bikes left in places where they shouldn’t be. Visit our interactive map to find bike hubs in your area and suggest where new hubs should be installed in 2020.
E-scooters
Motorized foot scooters, also called e-scooters, are not permitted to be ridden in Bellevue on sidewalks or on streets with speed limits over 25 mph. For more information see Bellevue City Code 11.48.210.
Report a problem
If you experience an issue with a shared bike or scooter brought to Bellevue from a neighboring city, the fastest way to resolve it is to contact the company directly.
- JUMP (red e-bikes) and Lime (green e-scooters): 1-888-546-3345 / support@limebike.com
If you prefer, you can also contact the city's Transportation Department.
- Call: 425-452-2931
- Email: bikeshare@bellevuewa.gov