In response to concerns expressed by local citizens, the Sea Isle City Police Department has launched a new Bicycle Safety Initiative that is intended to increase overall safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
The first step of the initiative was to install new road signs throughout town reminding bicyclists that they “must follow motor vehicle laws.” As required by New Jersey State Law, bicyclists must comply with the same rules-of-the-road as motorists, including stopping at all stop signs, yielding to pedestrians, and riding on the right hand side of the road. Bicyclists must also ride single-file and obey traffic control signals.
Additionally, new “Bicycle Lane Markings” have been painted along Sea Isle City’s Promenade. The new white markings, which are found every 2-3 blocks along the resort’s popular oceanfront pathway, indicate that bicyclists should ride toward the center of the promenade, thus allowing pedestrians entering from the beach or the street to have enough reaction time to safely cross the promenade or enter the promenade’s flow of pedestrian traffic.
For many years, signs have been in place along the entire length of Sea Isle City’s Promenade reminding residents and visitors that bicycling is permitted along the Promenade only on Saturdays and Sundays from 5:00 a.m. to 12-noon and on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (May 15 to September 15).
The Sea Isle City Police Department also reminds bicyclists of the importance of wearing helmets – and that New Jersey State Law requires all children under the age of 17 to wear a helmet whenever they are on a bike. New Jersey State Law also requires bicycles being used at night to be equipped with rear and pedal reflectors as well as a white headlight.
All bicyclists visiting or living-in Sea Isle City are encouraged to obtain a free Bicycle Safety Brochure at the Sea Isle City Welcome Center, located at 300 JFK Boulevard, or at Police Headquarters, located on the first floor of City Hall, 233 JFK Boulevard. For more information about Bicycle Safety, visit www.njsaferoads.com.
