OCEAN CITY – Officials in Ocean City last week agreed to establish time periods for allowing bicycles, pushcarts, certain electric bikes and other assistive mobility devices on the Boardwalk.
Last week, the Mayor and Council had before it a resolution to establish the times for operating bikes, Class 1 electric bikes, pushcarts and mobility devices on the Boardwalk. City Solicitor Heather Stansbury said the resolution would remove Springfest and Sunfest as restricted times to allow for planned bicycle events to take place during both festivals this year.
“This is establishing the periods of times that bicycles, Class 1 electric bicycles, pushcarts and EPAMDs may be operated on the Boardwalk,” she explained. “What this does is remove Springfest and Sunfest as restricted times to enable the planned bicycle events that have now been presented to you through special events. It occurred last year for Sunfest, and now it’s occurring for Springfest.”
Currently, bikes, Class 1 e-bikes and other mobility devices can be operated on the Boardwalk between 2 a.m. and noon the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
And during the off-season, such vehicles can be operated on the Boardwalk at any time with the exception of Springfest and Sunfest. At those times, bikes, e-bikes and the like can be operated from 2 a.m. to noon.
Last year, however, a modified Sunfest format, which included bicycle-related activities, was presented to the Mayor and Council.
And in September, the council voted unanimously to ease Boardwalk bike rules during both the Oceans Calling event and the four-day fall festival.
“When the new concept for Sunfest was presented, one of the things discussed was adding a lot of bicycle-centric things and combining some of the things during Halloween festivities including the Mayor’s Bike Ride and bicycle judging and other things like that,” City Manager Terry McGean told the council at the time. “What we didn’t want to do was encourage all of these bicycle-friendly events and then tell people they can’t have their bikes on the Boardwalk after noon.”
With the discussion back on the table last week, Council Secretary Tony DeLuca made a motion to adopt a resolution removing Springfest and Sunfest as restricted time.
The council voted 6-0, with Councilman Peter Buas absent.
