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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. —Starting next month, people in Overland Park will have a new transportation option for getting around town. 

Monday, the Overland Park City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Bird Rides, Inc. to launch an e-bike and e-scooter pilot program. 

“I think exploring a variety of transportation options for our residents is a great thing to do to be more connected and give people choices; Choices that are less polluting, choices that are less expensive, choices that might be more fun,” Councilmember Melissa Cheatham said. 

The new fleet of e-bikes and scooters will be placed throughout the city later this spring. Bird will deploy 75 e-scooters by March 1 and 25 e-bikes by July 1. 

Throughout the 18-month pilot program, Bird will provide the city with monthly reports on rider data. Under the agreement, the city would receive an annual payment of $500 and a $0.25 per ride fee from Bird. 

Overland Park City Traffic Engineer Brian Shields said the scooters will only work within city limits. 

“If you were to take one of the scooters here at city hall and take it down 87th Street to Lenexa, as you get to the Lenexa-Overland Park city limit that scooter is going to start beeping at you. As you get over that line it’s going to shutdown,”Shields said. 

If a scooter is left outside the boundary, the last rider will continue to be charged for the ride. All rides must end within Overland Park city limits and the scooters and bikes must be parked in designated areas.  

Both e-scooters and e-bikes will be driven on the right side of city streets and can only be parked in designated areas. Scooter speeds will be capped at 15 mph and the bikes will be limited to 20 mph.