Bicycling, Skateboarding Now Banned On Some Princeton Sidewalks

PRINCETON, NJ – Council on Monday passed an ordinance prohibiting bicycle riders, skateboard users and roller skaters from using sidewalks in certain sections of town.

The new ordinance is an amendment to the current regulation regarding where the ban will be implemented.

According to the ordinance riding a bicycle or using skateboards or roller skates will not be permitted on the following sidewalks:

• North side of Nassau Street, between Bayard Lane and Maple Street.
• East and west sides of Bank Street
• East and west sides of Chambers Street
• East and west sides of Palmer Square West and east and west sides of Palmer Square East; and both north and south sides of Palmer Square south.
• West side of Witherspoon Street between Nassau Street and Paul Robeson Place; east side of Witherspoon Street between Nassau Street and Wiggins Street.
• West side of South Tulane Street between Nassau Street and Spring Street
• West side of Van Deventer Avenue between Nassau Street and Spring Street; east side of Van Deventer Avenue between Nassau Street and Park Place
• South side of Hulfish Street (also known as Bank Street) from Bank Street to Chambers Street
• North and south side of Spring Street
• North and south sides of Hulfish Street from Chambers Street to Witherspoon Street

Municipal engineer Jim Purcell said staff is working on a future ordinance that will include a prohibition on e-bikes are other vehicles. “We were working on a new ordinance to make sure that we have covered not only those types of vehicles, but any vehicle that we might be able to imagine in the future that we have no idea might prop up, say hoverboards,” Purcell said. The amended ordinance will also include scooters, he said.

Councilwoman Eve Niedergang asked if these vehicles can be used on sidewalks not mentioned in the ordinance.

“There is no prohibition against riding on sidewalks outside of this area,” Purcell clarified.

Mayor Mark Freda thanked Purcell for making the changes to include other vehicles.

“It's not a good experience for a child and elderly person, somebody handicapped to all of a sudden have something going 15 to 20 miles an hour, zip up within inches of them,” Freda said. “Those are just accidents waiting to happen.”

Council voted unanimously on the ordinance after the public hearing.

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