It is against the law for adults to ride bicycles on sidewalks in Cincinnati. That will not be changing.
A council committee was asked to repeal that law Tuesday, but the request was withdrawn.
Bicycle activist Frank Henson says riding on a sidewalk is dangerous.
"It creates conflict points that pedestrians, cars and bicycles riders on the sidewalk aren't expecting," Henson says. "So having a prohibition against sidewalk riding is a good thing."
However, Henson says it may make sense to allow sidewalk riding in some parts of the city.
"We do have some corridors in the city where it would be appropriate to allow sidewalk riding as long as the sidewalk is prepared for that," Henson says.
Council Member Kevin Flynn proposed the ordinance.
He says it would offer an alternative to people who don't want to ride on busy streets. He adds the current prohibition is not enforced anyway.
"Having cyclists being able to ride, if they choose and they feel safer, on the sidewalk, whether that's perception or reality, allowing them to have that choice, I think, is appropriate," Flynn says.
City transportation officials may allow exceptions in some areas if the sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
