Shared Micromobility in the City of Sprawl: A Case Study of Phoenix, Arizona

Abstract

Micromobility has emerged as a promising response to 21st century urban transportation challenges, particularly in the face of growing concerns around carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and mobility equity. Yet most research on this mode to date draws on data from high-density, transit-rich urban environments, and does not adequately reflect the urban form of most U.S. cities, which are increasingly characterized by low-density development, auto-centric infrastructure, and decentralized activity centers. Phoenix presents a compelling case through which to investigate what factors best create environments where shared micromobility is likely to thrive in low-density urban contexts. This thesis offers an in-depth exploration of a specific micromobility program utilizing interviews and public records review, and uncovers root causes of implementation challenges and programmatic nuances. Findings indicate that a complex network of stakeholder-specific considerations, including city government, private operators, and users, shapes successful micromobility environments in Phoenix. The City evaluates micromobility through transit connectivity, parking availability, demographics, budget, political bias, regulatory frameworks, public planning, safety, and operators’ capacity. For operators, key considerations include population density, the regulatory environment, demographics, and culture. From the user’s perspective, important elements are community diversity, street design, infrastructure, the program footprint, culture, micromobility economics, and safety.