Wilkes‑Barre council adopts ordinance banning driving across private property to avoid traffic signals

Wilkes‑Barre City Council on May 8 adopted an ordinance amending Article 11 of Chapter 29 of the city code to prohibit driving across private property and public property not intended as a thoroughfare to avoid traffic signals or intersections.

The ordinance adds a local traffic offense and increases the penalty the council said was last set when the rule was first passed in 2008. Council members moved and seconded the ordinance and then voted to adopt it.

The change came after a member of the public questioned how officers would enforce the prohibition. “It seems to me this thing is almost unenforceable,” public commenter Troy said during the meeting, adding concerns that enforcement would divert police attention from higher‑priority traffic and violent crime problems. Troy also described near misses and aggressive driving he said he had observed on Main and South streets.

Councilman Barrett responded to those enforcement concerns: “This is going to be treated by the police no different than any other traffic violation that they may have,” Barrett said. Barrett said he had spoken with police administration and that officers issue traffic citations with in‑car computers; the system, he said, is capable of issuing the new violation “just as they would for any other traffic violation.” He further noted the measure is a city ordinance rather than a state statute and that the fine had been “very minimal” when first passed in February 2008, which prompted the council to increase it.

The motion to adopt the ordinance (File of Council No. 3 of 2025) was made by Councilwoman Maclay and seconded by Councilman Merrin. Council members voting recorded as “yes” in the roll call during the adoption were Councilman Barrett, Councilman Velushko, Councilman Merrin, Councilman McClay and Council President Brooks. The ordinance was approved.

Council members and the mayor did not announce a department‑level enforcement campaign tied specifically to the ordinance; Barrett said enforcement would be at police discretion and used as “another tool” for traffic enforcement. The council did not record any additional amendments or further procedural directions related to the ordinance at the meeting.

The ordinance text recorded in the meeting identifies the rule as an amendment to the city code titled “Driving Across Private Property and Public Property not designed or intended to be a thoroughfare to avoid traffic signal control device or intersection.” The city did not cite state law as authorizing the penalty; Barrett emphasized the measure is local code enforcement.

As a result of the council vote, the new local offense is on the books and available to patrol officers to cite when they witness a vehicle traversing private property or non‑thoroughfare public property to avoid a traffic control device, subject to officer discretion and existing policing priorities.