Spokane Standard

Spokane’s WheelShare program, operated by Lime, is back on the streets for 2022, providing shared electric scooters and bicycles. 

In 2021, Lime and the City worked together to provide the program’s first full continuous calendar year of operation since first launching in fall of 2018.  Last year, riders logged more than 450,000 rides, covering 400,000 miles across City streets, paths, and bike lanes.

Here’s a closer look at the WheelShare program in 2021:

• Helmet Giveaways

  Over the course of the year, Lime distributed over 1,000 helmets at community events and destinations.

• Equity

  Supporting shared mobility options for users with the most need, the Lime Access Equity program provided $300,000 in discounted rides for people on social service programs.

• Parking Zones

  The City of Spokane partnered with Spokane Arts to install six more designated bike and parking zones at businesses and community destinations throughout Spokane, including the West Central community center and businesses such as First Avenue Coffee. The new parking zones included murals by local artists. Installations will continue in 2022.

• Cycle the City

  To kick-off the 2021 season, the City and Lime partnered to host a socially-distanced bike ride around the pathways and neighborhoods of Downtown Spokane and the University District, with discounted rides, free helmets and a marked and mapped route along the Downtown’s premier pathways.

• Enforcement

  An enforcement program launched in 2021, enabling the City to document and issue fines for parking violations and illegal riding.

• Lime Patrol

  Lime staff continued to patrol downtown streets throughout the spring, summer and fall, offering safety tips and clearing improperly parked scooters and bikes blocking downtown sidewalks and curb ramps.  Spokane was the first North-American city to host a Lime Patrol program and the program has since spread nationally and internationally.

What’s New for 2022

The City of Spokane, Lime and local partners plan to continue improving the WheelShare program in 2022. With the return of events such as the Lilac Parade, Bloomsday, and Hoopfest, coordinating and supporting access to these signature Spokane events is a top priority. This year, following a major e-bike upgrade in 2021, Lime will upgrade all scooters to a new model with better braking and reduced marking, to be followed be a major upgrade to the new Gen4 vehicles.

Lime re-launched the full fleet in March, 2022. Together, the City of Spokane and Lime are committed to continual improvement of the WheelShare program as an easy, safe and sustainable way to access Spokane.

For more information, visit the WheelShare project page.

Original source can be found here.