9/3/2008 8:41:00 AM City OK's final reading of pedestrian safety ordinance; Amendments give police authority to impound bicycles and skateboards
By Barney Burke
With a little fine-tuning and little additional comment from the public, the Port Townsend City Council unanimously gave final approval to its new pedestrian safety ordinance on Sept. 2.
The ordinance slightly expands the area where bicycling is prohibited on sidewalks. In addition to most of downtown, bicycling on sidewalks is prohibited on Washington Street from Harrison to Monroe, and in the blocks where the post office and county courthouse are located. Bicycling would not be prohibited in residential areas.
Peter Lauritzen, chairman of the city's Nonmotorized Transportation Advisory Committee, said the pedestrian safety ordinance was a good compromise in response to the input of a diverse group of people. But he urged the council to do more to enforce the state law on bicycle headlights, because it has been a factor in two serious bike/pedestrian collisions here.
Deputy Mayor George Randels proposed expanded the requirement in state law for bicycles to use headlights on city streets to include sidewalks, paths and trails. That motion failed with only Randels, Catharine Robinson and Laurie Medlicott supporting it.
By consensus, the council agreed to keep a provision in the ordinance that allows police to impound skateboards or bicycles in conjunction with enforcing the ordinance.
Police Chief Conner Daily said he imagined using that power very rarely, for cases of repeat violations when all attempts to educate a violator fail.
Asked about impounding motor vehicles, Daily said his policy is to almost never impound a motor vehicle. He said he does not allow towing in cases of a driver with a suspended license, as licenses can be suspended for all kinds of reasons. For DUI arrests, his policy is to find a licensed, sober driver to remove the vehicle, and if none is available, leave the car parked unless it is creating a hazard. Impounding a vehicle adds to the costs incurred by the person arrested, he said.
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