By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Sea Isle City’s Police Department has two words of advice for this summer: Slow down.
Lower speed limits for bicyclists riding on the oceanfront Promenade and motorists traveling along Park Road are designed to improve safety during the busy summer tourism season.
Last year, City Council approved a 10-mph speed limit for motorized bikes, scooters and skateboards on the popular Promenade in hopes of preventing collisions with pedestrians. Previously, the Promenade’s speed limit was 25 mph.
The 10-mph speed limit was in response to complaints from local residents about electric bikes, in particular, speeding along the 1.5-mile Promenade and nearly hitting children and other pedestrians.
In a new post on their Facebook page, Sea Isle police warned that they will be patrolling the Promenade this summer using hand-held speed detectors to catch riders on electric bikes that are going too fast.
“Our officers will be utilizing hand-held speed detection devices to monitor the speed of these bikes. This will be heavily enforced to help ensure the safety of pedestrians,” the department said.
The Facebook warning from police coincides with the arrival of the Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the summer season at the shore.
“We can’t stress enough the importance of safety on a busy weekend like this one,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said.
Speeders on the Promenade risk getting tickets that will include fines ranging from $50 for first-time offenders to a maximum of $100 for repeat violators.
If a minor under 17 years old gets a ticket, the parents will be responsible for paying the fine, Police Chief Anthony Garreffi explained last year after the speed limit was approved.
Depending on the severity of the tickets and the age of the offenders, some speeders will risk losing points on their driver’s licenses. Garreffi said that would happen only in the most serious cases.
With summer’s arrival, Custer is also urging pedestrians and bicyclists to be extra careful when walking or riding on the streets. She said pedestrians should use designated crosswalks. She also noted that bikers are required to follow motor vehicle laws when they are riding on the roads.
“It’s very important to use good judgment, whether you’re traveling around town in a car, on a bike, on foot or on anything else,” Custer said.
Electric bikes, commonly known as e-bikes, are becoming increasingly popular at the shore. They have a battery-powered motor and are capable of hitting speeds of up to 35 mph, creating a serious potential danger of collisions with pedestrians who are walking on the Promenade, residents say.
All bikes, electric and regular, are permitted on the Promenade between the hours of 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Markers designate the bike path on the Promenade.
City Solicitor Paul Baldini explained that state regulations do not allow Sea Isle to outright ban e-bikes from the Promenade. The city only has the authority to regulate e-bikes and their speeds through local laws, he said.
While speeding e-bikers are among the primary offenders on the Promenade, the 10-mph limit also covers motorized skateboards and scooters.
The Promenade isn’t the only place in town that has a lower speed limit this summer. In March, City Council voted to reduce the speed limit on Park Road from 25 mph to a leisurely 15 mph.
Police have placed a digital message sign on Park Road for the holiday weekend to alert motorists to the new 15 mph speed limit. New 15 mph speed limit signs have also been installed along Park Road, police said in their Facebook post.
Park Road is only about seven blocks long, stretching from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to 48th Street. But as a direct link to the JFK Boulevard entryway into Sea Isle, Park Road is often used as an artery for inbound and outbound traffic.
The road also passes through the historic Fish Alley neighborhood, an enclave of some of Sea Isle’s most popular waterfront restaurants. Park Road also serves as a route to the Sea Isle City Library at 48th Street and Central Avenue.
Moreover, Park Road is also the site of Sea Isle’s proposed $20 million community recreation center. The city demolished Sea Isle’s former public school at 4501 Park Road to make room for construction of the community center, which is expected to open in 2025.
City Council decided to drop the speed limit to 15 mph on Park Road after residents complained about speeding drivers during a neighborhood meeting earlier in the year with Mayor Leonard Desiderio about the community center project.
