OCEAN CITY, Md. - Ocean City will soon test green bike lane markings on portions of St. Louis Avenue as part of a new safety pilot program approved by the Ocean City Council.
Town leaders say the goal is to make the existing bike lane more visible to motorists at key conflict points, especially at intersections where vehicles turn across the path of cyclists. City Manager Terry McGean said the idea gained urgency after a serious crash a few years ago involving a bicyclist in the bike lane and a driver making a right turn who did not see the cyclist approaching.
“The idea behind the green paint in the bike lane at the intersections is so it’s very clear to the motorist, hey, there’s a bike lane approaching,” McGean said. “You need to be on the lookout for bicycles on your right hand side.”
The pilot was recommended by the town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. As proposed, green thermoplastic pavement markings would be installed on St. Louis Avenue at its intersections with 2nd Street, 5th Street, 8th Street, 12th Street, 15th Street and 17th Street. Adkins told council those locations line up with traffic signals along Philadelphia Avenue and areas where turning movements and traffic volume can create higher risk for conflicts.
Committee member Zach Bankert said St. Louis Avenue has long been the route the town tries to direct bicycle traffic to, keeping cyclists off busier corridors like Philadelphia Avenue and Baltimore Avenue. Bankert said the committee favored green markings over additional signs, arguing the town already has heavy signage and the pavement color is harder to ignore.
Council members approved the pilot in a 6-0 vote, with Councilman John Gehrig absent.
McGean said installation is expected in the spring when weather conditions allow. He said there will be no changes to traffic patterns, and the town will judge the pilot based on public feedback, crash reporting and how well the surface holds up over time.
The council also agreed to advance a separate resolution recommended by the committee that would allow bicycle use on select sidewalks, including portions of Philadelphia Avenue and Coastal Highway, subject to council approval.