Shared e-scooters and e-bikes — also known as micromobility — provide a fun and convenient way to get around Boulder without a car and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

Program Overview

The City of Boulder's Transportation Master Plan sets out a roadmap for a future that is shared and electric to meet our transportation and climate goals.

Micromobility can help us get there. It refers to ways of getting around for smaller-scale travel — like scooters, skateboards and bikes. Shared services and connected technology provide more travel choices to more people. They help reduce single-occupant car trips by filling gaps in our transportation network, such as the distance between bus stops and homes, offices and schools.

The City of Boulder provides shared e-scooters (Lime) and e-bikes (BCycle) through the Shared Micromobility Program, in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder County, the Boulder Chamber, Lime and BCycle.

Not all e-micromobility is the same. What you ride changes where you ride.

Which wheels go where?

Learn where different e-micromobility devices can be used in Boulder with this video or the handy chart below. View the extended Micromobility Guide for details.

A chart of different e-micromobility devices and where they can be used in the City of Boulder

View image. View detailed version of chart.

*You may ride e-scooters, e-skateboards and other lightweight electric vehicles on sidewalks adjacent to non-residential streets only if no bike lanes are present. You can not ride on the sidewalk adjacent to streets with a speed limit of 20 mph or less.

Lime e-scooters

Shared E-scooters

Providing shared e-scooters citywide is informed by data from the successful e-scooter pilot program in parts of East Boulder, Gunbarrel and CU Boulder's East Campus. The citywide expansion follows an iterative, phased approach, and will be monitored closely by city staff.

The pilot evaluation, which included community engagement, showed that shared e-scooters help to reduce traffic congestion, reduce air pollution, increase mobility options and serve as first- and final-mile connections to public transportation. Program changes were broadly supported by Boulder City Council, boards and commissions and stakeholders.

Learn more on Shared E-scooter Insights: 5 Key Community Takeaways.

Lime uses tools geared toward safe use of e-scooters, including location-based technology, that will automatically:

  • Limit e-scooter speeds in slow zones
  • Prevent e-scooters from operating in no-go zones
  • Require parking in designated Lime Groves within the city’s busiest areas

E-scooter misuse should be reported directly to Lime. Contact information is posted on all Lime e-scooters. Lime will respond to reports within two hours.

How to use a Lime e-scooter

Download the app and find your nearest scooter

Download the Lime app to start using a Lime e-scooter. Find your nearest scooter on the map. Complete the safety quiz if you're a first-time rider and follow the instructions in the app.

We encourage you to wear a helmet. Lime offers helmet discounts.

Scan the QR code to unlock the scooter

Test that the e-scooter brakes and works properly before riding.

Ride!

Put one foot on, kick off with the other and gently press the throttle to accelerate. Follow all traffic laws and take caution around pedestrians during your trip.

  • Ride only in bike lanes and multi-use paths.
  • If there are no bike lanes, you can ride in the street.
  • If the speed limit on a street is 25 mph or above, you may ride on the sidewalk.

Park the e-scooter upright

Park upright on the sidewalk, near a bike rack or near a curb. Park responsibly – don't block pedestrian walkways, crosswalks, car doors, bus stops or sidewalk ramps.

In certain areas, e-scooters must be parked in mandatory parking corrals, or Lime Groves, shown in the Lime app.

End your ride

Follow the Lime app instructions and take a photo to end the ride.

E-Scooter Frequently Asked Questions

Use the Lime app to find available e-scooters.

Lime e-scooters can be ridden in East Boulder, east of 28th Street and south of Jay Road, including on CU Boulder’s East Campus and at Williams Village.

Beginning in August 2023, community members can use shared e-scooters across the city.

E-scooters will shut down in areas they are not allowed in. These no-go zones include places like trails and cemeteries.

These zones support the safe use of e-scooters through location-based technology that automatically:

  • Limits e-scooter speeds in slow zones. For example, on 13th Street on University Hill and streets downtown that intersect the Pearl Street Mall.
  • Prevents e-scooters from operating in no-go zones. For example, Pearl Street Mall, cemeteries and ball fields.
  • Requires parking in designated Lime Groves within the city’s busiest areas. For example, Downtown Boulder, on University Hill and within the CU Boulder campus.
shared e-scooter parking called a Lime Grove

An example of a Lime Grove in Boulder.

E-scooters can be ridden on bike lanes and multi-use paths. E-scooters are not allowed on OSMP trails, including paved multi-use trails.

No bike lane or multi-use path?

  • If the speed limit of the road is 25 mph or above, e-scooters can be used on sidewalks.
  • If the speed limit of the road is under 25 MPH, e-scooters cannot be used on sidewalks.

Follow all rules of the road, travel with caution if allowed on sidewalks, use the bell when passing others and always yield to pedestrians.

Yes. All e-scooter users must follow traffic laws. E-scooter users may also use the Safety Stop.

Always travel with traffic, never against traffic.

The city and Lime are conducting a six-month pilot program from July to December 2024 for removing the curfew for shared e-scooters. The intention is to allow for transportation options around the clock for community members and visitors and to understand the transportation needs of people using this travel mode.


Community members must be 18 or older to sign up to ride.

E-scooters can be parked upright on sidewalks, near bike racks or near curbs. E-scooters can also be parked on sidewalks — just make sure to leave space for your neighbors walking and rolling by, including enough space for a thirty-six-inch-wide wheelchair to pass through (B.R.C. 5-3-5). Park responsibly – don't block pedestrian walkways, crosswalks, car doors, bus stops or sidewalk ramps.

Lime trips ending on CU Boulder properties, downtown Boulder, and University Hill must be parked in mandatory parking corrals as shown in the Lime app.

No.

The e-scooters have a top speed of 15 mph.

Lime analyzed e-scooter trips between March 2019 and February 2020 and found that 99.9% of these Lime e-scooter trips were incident-free, with riders not reporting a single injury. That means 1 out of every 1.1 million rides resulted in severe injury or fatality.

Remember these safety tips:

  • Use the bell when passing on the left

  • Signal turns with your hand, if possible

  • Always yield to pedestrians

  • Be 18+ years old to ride

  • Ride predictably and defensively

  • Ride solo and sober

  • Be aware of potholes, puddles and uneven surfaces

Learn more about how to use a Lime scooter safely.

Safety is a priority for the shared e-scooter program. The city and its partners are taking the following steps to promote safe e-scooter use:

  • The e-scooters will be deployed in zones that allow for clear, unobstructed passage of pedestrians on/near sidewalks and in commercial areas and that do not impede Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility or the boarding or departure of transit users.
  • The e-scooters are geofenced, meaning they have automatic functions based on location, including to limit speeds, manage parking and shut down e-scooters when used in no-go zones or outside of city limits.
  • E-scooter have a speed limit of 15 mph in most areas, with lower maximum speeds in slow zones.
  • E-scooters can only be used from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., except for on CU Boulder property.
  • Lime is required to collect all e-scooters and replace them at deployment zones daily.
  • For first-time riders, Lime e-scooters automatically start with Lime’s Training Mode, a feature designed to make the first ride safer, smoother and more comfortable. Training Mode reduces maximum speed to just 8 miles per hour, so riders can get a feel for using e-scooters at a comfortable speed.
  • For first-time riders, local rules will automatically appear on the Lime app before their ride.
  • Riders are encouraged to always wear a helmet. Lime provides discounted helmets.

  • $1 unlock and $0.42 per minute.
  • If you qualify for Lime Access, Lime's income-qualified program, rides of 30 minutes or less are free.


Yes.

  • Lime Access provides free rides of 30 minutes or less for income-qualified riders, as well as access to Lime e-scooters for people without smartphones or credit cards.
  • Lime Assist offers adaptive e-scooters for people experiencing disabilities.

E-scooters can help Boulder reach its transportation goals to reduce vehicle trips and greenhouse gases by making it easier to get around without a car, especially for short trips. In September 2020, Boulder City Council voted to allow a dockless e-scooter company to operate in the city. In March 2021, the city issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for operators and selected Lime. Bid requests were reviewed by the city, CU Boulder and Boulder County for alignment with community goals.

The number of scooters is regulated based on demand. With citywide expansion, projected demand will increase proportionately to meet the community’s needs.

If it is not an emergency, such as if you are not injured, call the Boulder Police non-emergency line: 303-441-3333.

If you are injured, call 911 (if calling from a cell phone on CU’s campus tell the dispatcher that you are on campus so CU Police Department can be dispatched). Any incident that involves actual physical contact or injury should be reported to CU Police Department if on campus, or Boulder Police. Please also report your crash or injury with Lime. Submit a report online or call 1-888-546-3345.

Report an Issue

Report an issue with a Lime e-scooter

All Lime e-scooter issues (including broken e-scooters, misparked e-scooters and safety/access issues) should be reported directly to Lime. Contact info is posted below and on all Lime e-scooters.

  • Phone: 1-888-LIME-345
  • Email: support@li.me
  • Text: 1 (888)-546-3345
  • In Lime app: Rapid Reporting Feature (for riders and non-riders)
  • On Twitter: Tag @_LimeAid

Report a Close Call

Use the Close Call form to report a close call while riding an e-scooter or with an e-scooter. Your feedback helps us identify trouble spots both in the city and on CU Boulder property.

BCycle

Boulder BCycle Bike Share

The City of Boulder partners with BCycle to provide a bike share program in Boulder. The program includes e-bikes and has stations across the city.

Downlad the BCycle app to get riding!

How to use a BCycle bike

Check out a bike

Visit a BCycle station and follow the instructions to check out a bike. You can also check out a bike using the BCycle app. To check out an e-bike, you must use the BCycle app.

Find a bike near you

There are more than 40 bike share stations conveniently located around the city — and more are on the way!

View the map of BCycle stations.

Ride!

Take any bike out for a short trip.

Return

Drop off the bike to any station.

Repeat

Until your pass expires.

How to ride a BCycle e-bike safely

Check out an e-bike

Visit a BCycle station and use the BCycle app to check out an e-bike.

Ride where e-bikes are allowed

E-bikes are permitted on most multi-use paths within the city of Boulder.

Follow the speed limit

  • Comply with the 15 mph speed limit on multi-use paths

Pass safely

  • Keep right, pass left
  • Always yield to pedestrians
  • Give an audible alert before passing

Dismount Zone

All device types must dismount when they see this symbol of a person standing next to a bike and skateboard with a null sign over them

Except for accessibility purposes, dismount your e-bike and walk through Dismount Zones.