Fargo, N.D. – The city of Fargo has had an ordinance in place for years outlawing the riding of bicycles, scooters, skateboards and rollerblades on sidewalks along a stretch of Broadway downtown.
But the city is about to dramatically increase the punishment for violators.
During their next meeting on Monday June 9th, Flag Family News has learned the City Commission will consider a change to the ordinance that would raise the potential fine from $20 to $100.
It would also become a criminal offense that could lead to an arrest. The ban covers sidewalk space on Broadway between NP Avenue North and 6th Avenue North.
“Our purpose is to try to enforce that [ordinance] and to make sure that [behavior] isn’t going on, so we don’t have any any accidents and increase that safety downtown,” Fargo Police Captain Matt Christensen told Flag Family News.
Christensen says the updated ordinance will take effect “within the next month” if it’s approved by the City Commission.
Listen: Fargo Police Captain Matt Christensen speaks with Flag Family News Director Ken Duffy
Along with other quality of life issues, Christensen says the police chief started working with the city prosecutor’s office on the matter back in May.
Asked if there have been any recent collisions pedestrians and people on wheels on the sidewalks, Christensen says he has heard of a couple of instances in which people have called to complain about having a “close call.”
“When people are downtown to shop and those sidewalks get pretty congested it’s not safe for people to ride bikes on the sidewalk,” said Christensen.
In terms of enforcement, Christensen says surveillance cameras connected to the police department’s real time crime center will help, along with an increased presence of officers downtown this summer.
“The toughest part for us is making sure we identify who they are and catching them to hold them accountable,” said Christensen.
While it’s possible that someone could be arrested, Christensen says it would be “rare”, but the change will give police “a little more authority to hold people accountable.”
“They’re certainly legal to ride their bike on the roadway. They just have to remember that they’re treated as a vehicle, so the regular rules of the road apply.”
But when it comes to safety in general, Christensen says it applies to everyone on wheels.
“Motorists need to make sure that they are looking out for people on bicycles on the roadway, and people on bikes need to understand that they are subject to those same rules of the roads as cars,” says Christensen.
