Lehighton is again discussing its bicycling ordinance, although borough council took no action Monday.

Police Chief Troy Abelovsky said the next step is to finalize some of the basic decisions and get it to the borough solicitor.

From that point, Abelovsky said the plan is to have a draft ordinance by next month’s borough council meeting.

Resident Jeffrey Kindler, as he did last month, shared his viewpoints.

“I really want something done about safety, but don’t want to squash (cycling) completely,” Kindler said. “I just hope that we’re trying to balance that.”

Abelovsky told Kindler they were in the process of “revamping” the entire ordinance from beginning to end.

Kindler said he was glad to hear that, but cautioned that if they’re too prohibitive with how they try to address bicyclists, that could be a barrier.

He then suggested possibly putting up some bike racks or signs around the border of the business district.

At last month’s meeting, Abelovsky said the borough’s Police Fire and Safety Committee has met several times and has been compiling information.

Abelovsky said he did a revision of the ordinance, and noted the committee will meet one more time to compile notes before giving it to the solicitor for his review.

Kindler expressed concerns about safety, such as making sure children ride their bikes on the right side of the road, and for them to wear safety helmets.

He said at that time he has at least twice stopped children on bikes, and added he’s concerned about the bicycle behavior he’s witnessed.

At May’s council meeting, Councilwoman Jordyn Miller said that council’s Police Fire and Safety Committee had held a meeting with Abelovsky and Mayor Ryan Saunders and came up with a draft.

The borough is looking to adopt a similar version of the Pennsylvania State Bicycle Laws.

Resident Nick Catania previously asked about sound, but borough Manager Dane DeWire said that right now, they can’t measure decibel levels.

Abelovsky added he doesn’t think a noise ordinance is really an option at this point.

Abelovsky previously said in a Facebook post that the Lehighton Borough Police Department has fielded multiple calls and safety concerns resulting from subjects operating motorized pedal cycles, motor scooters, e-bikes and bicycles on its roadways.

The borough’s outdated ordinance is from 1975 and only addresses bicycles in the borough.

Abelovsky said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation addresses these vehicles, which the police department will enforce. Enforcement can consist of towing and issuing fines to operators or families who permit the violations to occur.

He said a large percentage of violators are people who are under the age of 16 and not properly licensed. “Many make extremely reckless actions while operating these vehicles: disobeying traffic control devices (stop signs and speeding), weaving/cutting vehicles off in traffic and endangering smaller children in our local parks.”

Abelovsky noted that the police department is seeking assistance from the parents.

He also urged parents to contact the police department if they have any questions regarding whether their son or daughter is permitted to operate a specific type of vehicle on borough roadways.

Lastly, Abelovsky emphasized that helmets are required for all people operating bicycles and Segways under the age of 12, motorized scooters under the age of 21, and are recommended for all operators.