Simsbury May Allow Bikes, Scooters On Sidewalks

SIMSBURY, CT — Local officials are mulling a revision to the town's bicycle regulations that would allow scooter and bicycle riders on sidewalks with a public hearing slated on the matter Dec. 12.

Currently, the town's ordinance on bicycle riders only allows pedestrians on sidewalks and bans motorized and non-motorized scooters and bicycles on them.

The Simsbury Board of Selectmen Nov. 14 scheduled a public hearing on the changes for Monday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m. at Simsbury Town Hall, 933 Hopmeadow St.

After the hearing, the full board could vote on the ordinance revision.

That ordinance was drafted in 1990 and town officials are looking to update this rule to allow non-motorized scooter riders and bicyclists on town sidewalks provided they operate in a safe manner.

Proposed changes to the ordinance read that "reasonable and safe use of non-motorized bicycles and scooters on any portion of a sidewalk in the Town of Simsbury extending along a road or highway is permitted."

At the Nov. 14 Simsbury Board of Selectmen meeting, Simsbury Town Manager Maria Capriola said the bicycle ordinance hasn’t been updated since 1990, calling the changes “housekeeping” in nature including fines and sidewalk width.

In addition to allowing non-motorized scooters and bikes on sidewalks, the proposed changes redefine a sidewalk as being anything less than 8-feet-wide, whereas current definitions limit that definition to 5 feet or less.

Revisions also call for a change to the fines for violators of this ordinance.

According to the changes, if someone were to violate the ordinance and ride in an unsafe manner on sidewalks, they'd be subject to a $90 fine.

Currently, the more tougher regulations call for a $20 fine for a first offense and a $40 fine for subsequent offenses.

For the proposed bicycle ordinance changes, click on this link and scroll down to pages 56-57.