SALT LAKE CITY — Two e-scooter companies have signed deals to operate within the city, blocking others from legally operating here.
The city will also start enforcing designated parking spots for e-scooters under an ordinance the city council passed last year. The Salt Lake City Department of Transportation confirmed to FOX 13 through the mayor's office it had signed contracts with Lime and Spin to operate within city limits.
That means companies like Bird and Link, which also had a presence in the city, will no longer be allowed. It is unclear when they will be required to leave. Bird scooters were still seen around the city on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the department has begun spray painting designated parking spots for e-scooters, starting on Main Street. Under the new ordinance, riders will be required to submit a photo to the rental app showing where they have parked the scooter. They're currently banned from the sidewalks, parking at UTA stops, or within 15-feet of driveways.
But people still do all those things with the e-scooters. City officials have acknowledged they are polarizing with people who either love them or hate them.
Since the scooters arrived unannounced several years ago, the city has faced complaints about people riding on the sidewalk at high speeds with no warning to pedestrians. A FOX 13 investigation in 2018 found Salt Lake City had compiled 1,400 pages — mostly complaints — about them.
