Delta asked to curtail use of skateboards, skates on sidewalks

8/25/2004

DELTA - A local resident has asked council to curtail the use of bicycles, skateboards, and Rollerblades on sidewalks in the village.

In a letter to council, Rebecca Brehm of Palmwood Street asked that a council member propose legislation to ban bicycles, skateboards, and Rollerblades from all frontal sidewalks within the village limits.

Children under the age of 7 would be exempt from the law, according to Ms. Brehm's proposal.

The legislation, she said, would keep the sidewalks for what they were intended, namely walkers.

She told council in the letter that new sidewalks were installed recently around her home and "We now have to watch out for kids on bikes riding on sidewalks and God forbid if you happen to be walking on the sidewalks and meet a cyclist. You need to clear completely off the walk."

Ms. Brehm noted that the village has provided several outlets for children, including a park, a pool, and ball diamonds and said that most streets are in excellent shape for the use of bikes.

Council took no action during its recent meeting on the request.

Gary Baker, village administrator, said that council likely would discuss Ms. Brehm's request during a council committee meeting.

Under village law, people are allowed to ride bikes and use skateboards, inline skates and roller skates on the sidewalks, but only in the residential district.

Bikes and skates are prohibited on sidewalks in the downtown business district.

Operators of a bicycle, skateboard, inline skates, or roller skates are required to comply with all traffic signs and signals erected for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, according to local law.