OCEAN CITY – West Ocean City parking concerns and plans for additional bike racks near the beach highlighted a resort committee meeting this week.
On Wednesday, State Highway Administration (SHA) Assistant District Engineer Jana Potvin presented the Ocean City Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee with an update on bicycle and pedestrian projects in and around the resort, including the West Ocean City Hiker-Biker Trail.
“The hiker-biker trail is now complete,” she said.
Last year, SHA broke ground on a new bike and pedestrian path in West Ocean City. For the most part, the 10-foot wide trail runs along the south side of Route 50 from Route 611 to the bridge. The project also includes a crossing at the intersection near Hooper’s Crab House where bikers and pedestrians can access the path.
But as crews concluded construction work on the trail in recent months, resort officials pointed out the addition of guardrails had created a dangerous situation for motorists parking along the north side of Route 50 in front of Hooper’s.
To that end, SHA officials established a memorandum of agreement to prevent motorists from parking their cars along the shoulder of westbound Route 50 near the restaurant. New signage was also installed.
Councilman Tony DeLuca, committee liaison, told Potvin this week he had noticed the new “No Parking” signs. He noted, however, that cars continued to park along the highway.
“Every day since the signs have been up, there’s four to five cars parked there all day long …,” he said.
When asked if the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office or Maryland State Police had been notified of the parking situation, committee members representing the Ocean City Police Department said they would reach out to the appropriate agencies.
The committee this week also discussed ongoing efforts to install bike racks at select oceanside street ends in Ocean City. To date, the town’s public works department has installed racks at 28th, 67th, 120th, 123rd, 127th and 130th streets.
“Moving on from here, we were provided with six more suggestions at our meeting in May, which was 26th street, 33rd, 90th, 94th, 139th and 142nd,” said Committee President Paul Mauser. “The plan is to continue chipping away at those locations. My goal is to install one a month.”
