Earlier this month, when Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed a bill that allows the leasing of city parking stalls as docking stations to companies that rent bicycles and — possibly in the future — other types of “shared micromobility,” he quipped that while Honolulu is the western-most U.S. city, we’re not the “wild, wild West.”

The city got a glimpse of micromobility’s wild side in May 2018 when the rental scooter company Lime dropped off 200 “dockless” electric scooters for rent on sidewalks in Waikiki, Ala Moana and Kakaako without notifying government agencies. Honolulu Hale rightly took quick action to impound the scooters and inform the California-based company it was operating illegally.

At that time, the scooters were widely regarded on the mainland as a new mode of lightweight transportation that could be picked up for a short trip and left anywhere. Since then, in response to valid concerns about pedestrian and traffic safety as well as street clutter, some cities have set limits on shared micromobility vehicle (SMV) fleet size and where the vehicles can be ridden and parked.

Oahu’s Bill 44 (Ordinance 19-29) appears to follow suit by corralling SMVs in parking meter zones, off-street parking or attendant parking areas under city jurisdiction. So far, due to state law, this drop-zone approach is limited to standard and electric bikes. But demand for expanding the overall SMV inventory here is expected to grow.

Due to factors such as short-distance trips and climate, Honolulu ranks as the top city in the nation that stands to benefit from emerging shared micromobility, according to a recent study by INRIX, a firm that analyzes traffic data and mobility globally. And in some respects, micromobility fits neatly within the city’s vision for its transportation future.

It can serve as an alternative to driving a motor vehicle, thereby lessening the carbon footprint. Also, it aligns with Honolulu’s Complete Streets ordinance, which aims to replace car-centric community design with a more multimodal approach — tailoring public streets to be comfortable for all, whether traveling by foot, bus, car, bicycle or other mode.

The city has been making strides, particularly in the ongoing effort to make Honolulu more bicycle friendly. Moving forward, Bikeshare Hawaii, which launched Biki in June 2017 with startup support from the city and state, is now testing an eBiki model that could be added to its fleet of about 1,300 standard bikes.

Given the popularity of Biki — now the sixth most-used bikeshare system in the nation — it’s possible that urban residents and visitors alike might flock to expanded SMV options, such as electric scooters and skateboards that can zip along at speeds of about 15 mph and 25 mph, respectively.

However, given Honolulu’s space constraints and competing needs for street parking, the city should gradually ramp up the SMV lineup. While millennials — the first generation of “digital natives” — tend to navigate multimodal travel with ease, many baby boomers and Gen X members remain largely tethered to old-fashioned car ownership.

Under the new SMV law, up to three permits would be allowed per street block. In addition, Caldwell signed off on a measure in July that sets aside up to 80 on-street and 80 off-street stalls for lease by car-share companies — the cars are unlocked with smart phones for rent by the hour or day.

In coming decades, if more people forgo car ownership and opt for travel by rail, bus, SMVs and car-sharing, overall demand for street parking will decrease. In the meantime, the city should charge steep rates to any commercial business leasing public parking stalls.

If the city handles its transportation future smartly, the positive upshot will be reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions.