Micromobility Station Placement Optimization for a Rural Setting

Micromobility is an evolving form of transportation modality that uses small human- or electric-powered vehicles to move people short distances. Planners expected bike sharing, the first micromobility, would reduce traffic congestion, cut travel cost, pollution, enable connectivity with other modes transport, and promote public health. However, micromobility options also brought new challenges such as difficulty placement decisions encourage adoption minimize conflict transport modes. Sound deployment depend on unique environmental characteristics demographics a location. Most studies analyzed deployments in high-density urban areas. This research determines best locations for 5 bike-sharing stations Fargo, North Dakota, area rural United States. The workflow combines geographic information system (GIS), level stress (LTS) ratings, location-allocation optimization models. spatial analysis considered 18 candidate station eliminated those fell within 700-meter isochrone walking distance 11 existing stations. case study demonstrates scalable planners can repeat achieve sustainable by considering land use, population density, activity points, available pathways their setting.