Skateboards may come under bike law in Newville
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Article RatingNewville Borough Council agreed Tuesday to review the borough’s bicycle ordinance and update it to include guidelines for skateboards and scooters at the request of the borough police department.
“Last year, we had two children on skateboards almost run over on North West Street,” said Cpl. James Swartz. And a bicyclist was seriously injured in a crash on Big Spring Avenue.
Swartz suggested removing all bikes, skateboards and scooters from the roadways and rerouting them onto sidewalks.
“With the current state of traffic and the narrowness of our streets, we’d like to see them moved off the streets,” Swartz told borough council Tuesday.
The borough’s current bicycle ordinance dates to 1942 and does not include provisions for skateboards or scooters.
“I’m not sure putting them back on the sidewalk is a good idea,” said Councilman David Hockenberry. He suggested setting an age limit for cyclists to be permitted on the roadways.
“To me, as long as they’re in elementary school, I think they ought to be able to ride on the sidewalks,” said Council President William Toth.
Mayor John Gatten suggested children 12 and under be permitted — but not required — to ride on the sidewalks. “That way, if they’re with their families and out and about, they’d be OK (to be on the roadways),” he said.
Council directed Solicitor Richard Webber to draft an ordinance update, which could go before council for approval at its March meeting.
“All I’m looking for is some guidelines the police department can look at,” Swartz said.
