Title
Non-motorized Wheeled Vehicles on Sidewalks - For the purpose of encouraging the Maryland General Assembly to complete its work to amend State law to allow non-motorized wheeled vehicles on sidewalks by default.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Resolution 42-23
Introduced by: Alderwoman O'Neill
A RESOLUTION concerning
Non-motorized Wheeled Vehicles on Sidewalks
FOR the purpose of encouraging the Maryland General Assembly to complete its work to amend State law to allow non-motorized wheeled vehicles on sidewalks by default.
WHEREAS, Maryland requires a more diverse and resilient transportation system to support its citizens and commerce; and
WHEREAS, Alternative transportation modes contribute increasingly to the diversity and resilience of the overall transportation system; and
WHEREAS, Non-motorized wheeled vehicles such as bicycles are growing in their importance among alternative modes of transportation; and
WHEREAS, Safety concerns represent the primary factor inhibiting the use of nonmotorized vehicles for transportation; and
WHEREAS, The development of new infrastructure, such as individualized road lanes and paths for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrian paths are hindered by lack of funding and slow pace; and
WHEREAS, Sidewalk infrastructure currently exists but is underutilized because child, elderly, and inexperienced cyclists are presently mandated by State law to use roads and streets designed for high-speed automotive traffic, even when safer and underutilized sidewalks are available; and
WHEREAS, State, county, and municipal laws are confusing, inconsistent, and either discourage or prohibit the safe use of existing infrastructure by non-motorized wheeled vehicles; and
WHEREAS, Maryland stands in a small minority of four out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in prohibiting by default non-motorized wheeled vehicles on sidewalks; and
WHEREAS, The City of Annapolis adopted Resolution R-2-21 on March 8,...
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