MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Ocean Boulevard has been lined with barricades for almost two weeks. Myrtle Beach police put the barricades up after a shooting that injured seven people on Father’s Day weekend.
Police hoped the barricades would cut crime by keeping people out of the streets. However, some people who ride bicycles said the barricades are not safe.
“They’re eating up the bike lane,” says owner of Pedego Electric Bikes, Aaron Maynard. “In fact, I don’t even recommend to my renters to ride down Ocean Boulevard right now, which is a shame because they’re going to miss out on kind of the iconic part of Myrtle Beach.”
Maynard said he understands why the city put the barricades in place but wishes there was another solution.
“They stick out into the bike lane and they kind of have little legs on them,” he explains. “They’re difficult to see at night and if you hit one of those with a tire or pedal or even your body, you could get really, really injured.”
Maynard and his customers are instead going to other places like The Market Common and Myrtle Beach State Park to bike. However, he hopes the barricades don’t last much longer.
“I hope they can come up with maybe a more permanent solution that is safer and also that looks better, because I think it’s kind of a detractor from our beautiful beachfront town,” voices Maynard.
The city has said the barricades are part of a “trial run” and there is no set date for when they will be removed.