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Merchant and resident warn of hazards from bikes and e‑scooters on downtown sidewalks
Summary
At the June 11 meeting Susan Martinez urged the public safety advisory board to address children riding bikes, skateboards and e‑scooters on downtown sidewalks, citing collisions with store patrons; board members discussed enforcement, public education and existing borough ordinances.
Susan Martinez spoke for herself during unrelated public comment on June 11 and asked the advisory board to address what she described as children riding bicycles, skateboards and rented e‑scooters on downtown sidewalks near stores. Martinez said two acquaintances had been struck by children coming out of shops and expressed concern about legal liability for businesses and the borough.
"We're just opening ourselves up for all kinds of liabilities and lawsuits if somebody gets gravely hurt," Martinez said, asking for a forum and a mechanism to address sidewalk riding. Board members responded that a borough ordinance already restricts skateboards downtown and that rules on sidewalk bike riding apply in defined downtown stretches, but enforcement is intermittent.
Members suggested a mix of strategies: more foot patrols with varied timing, targeted enforcement when incidents are reported, and public education via flyers, social media posts, and distribution of materials at youth activity centers and local sports programs. They noted state‑level attempts to regulate e‑scooters (House Bill 8) were previously vetoed, leaving room for continued local education and future state legislation.
No new ordinance or enforcement policy was adopted at the meeting; the board agreed to pursue outreach and vary patrol times to address the problem more effectively.
