New skateboard and bicycle laws went into effect on Aug. 29, 2014. The Eugene City Council approved a new downtown no-sidewalk-riding zone for people skateboarding and bicycling on July 28.
The new zone is designed to improve pedestrian safety, simplify the zone for better public understanding, and to improve enforcement. Riding skateboards or bicycles on sidewalks inside the zone is a violation of Eugene Code 5.450(2), and violators are subject to a maximum $50 fine. In the next several weeks, disks will be installed on the sidewalks in the downtown area to alert people skateboarding and bicycling that they have entered the no-sidewalk-riding zone and must walk their bikes and carry their skateboards.
Materials are also being produced to provide a map of the new zone and other helpful information about the new rules. The council also amended the City Code to allow people to operate an electric-assisted bicycle on off-street paths with the electric motor engaged except within the Alton Baker Park Plan boundary. This change was made to make Eugene law consistent with state law, to increase the number of people biking, and because of public requests.
More details on the new laws can be found on the project website at eugene-or.gov/bikeskatelaws or by contacting Lee Shoemaker at 541-682-5471 or lee.shoemaker@ci.eugene.or.us.