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Vienna officials are launching a safety education campaign for electric scooters, electric bikes and other micromobility devices as the town prepares to open its first Capital Bikeshare stations.
Earlier this month, the Vienna Town Council endorsed the campaign recommended by the town’s Transportation Safety Commission. Vienna’s public information office and police department will help explain the laws and risks associated with the devices.
Safety concerns have grown as younger riders use scooters and bikes on local roads and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, sometimes at high speeds and without helmets.
Beth Eachus, chair of the Transportation Safety Commission, told the council at its Feb. 2 meeting that riders as young as 14 or 15 — who may not yet have driver’s licenses — have been seen traveling at excessive speeds.
Vienna introduced shared e-scooters from Bird in September 2021 after Virginia authorized local governments to regulate the services. Bird has since gone bankrupt.
Shared micromobility devices are generally rented through an app and must be left in designated parking zones. Operators must obtain a permit and sign an agreement before deploying devices in Vienna.
Councilmember Chuck Anderson backed the education campaign and suggested requiring children to complete a safety course before using shared devices. Vienna would need authorization from the state to impose such a requirement.
Anderson said the technology is evolving rapidly, expanding from scooters and bikes to other increasingly fast devices that can be difficult to classify.
Eachus also urged Mayor Linda Colbert and the council to press for state legislation addressing micromobility safety.
One proposal before the Virginia General Assembly, HB 1120 from Del. JJ Singh, D-26, would establish a working group to recommend safety improvements for e-bikes, e-skateboards, e-scooters and other electric personal-mobility devices.
A committee recommended the bill, which is now being considered by the full House of Delegates. It would require the group to report to the House and Senate transportation committees by Nov. 1, 2026.
Eachus said officials have examined approaches used elsewhere in the United States and overseas but found few clear answers. She said a statewide task force could help by bringing the relevant stakeholders together.
Bikeshare launch shifts to early summer
Vienna is also moving ahead with five Capital Bikeshare stations, though the anticipated launch has shifted from early 2026 to early summer.
Town spokesperson Karen Thayer said concrete pads for three of the five stations are scheduled to be installed in March. The stations and bicycles are expected to arrive later in the spring.
The five planned locations are:
- Ayr Hill Avenue NE, beside the W&OD Trail
- Vienna Community Center
- Between the W&OD Trail and Navy Federal Credit Union
- 444 Maple Avenue West, along the Maple Avenue frontage
- Patrick Street SE, near Park Street