Gates Mills chose to suspend a village ordinance to fine bicycle riders $100 for riding across the Walking Bridge now that the Old Mill Rd. Bridge has been reopened at a village council meeting on Tuesday.

Riders had been receiving fines for riding across the narrower Walking Bridge if they didn’t get off their bikes and push them across the bridge. Now, violators will simply be warned by police.

The hope is that cyclists will go back to using the Old Mill Rd. Bridge that reopened on June 26 after being shut down for repairs for six weeks. It is approximately 200 yards away from the Walking Bridge.

“We don’t anticipate any further problems with bicyclists. We’re not going to impose the penalty unless circumstances dictate that we have to revisit the issue,” Village of Gates Mayor Shawn Riley said.

Council originally adopted the measure because it believed cyclists were posing a hazard for those walking across the Walking Bridge with bikes zipping along its slim path. Despite the fines, several cyclists continued to ride across the Walking Bridge which prompted the fines.

Riders had used the Walking Bridge as an alternate route during the other bridge’s down time.

“Now that the (Old Mill Rd.) bridge is open, we don’t see many people riding over the bridge,” Riley said. “In fact, it’s pretty clear.”

In other news …

• Council put off voting on an ordinance for having a bicycle path on Gates Mills Blvd.
• Council also had a public hearing and then voted on a new ordinance for the permission of building demolitions in non-historic areas.
• The village chose to advertise to accept bids for the sale of one of its old police vehicles as the village has purchased another one to replace it.