City Council on Thursday unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance that dramatically increases fines for drivers who ignore designated truck routes.
The ordinance raises fines to $50 to $500 on a first offense and $500 to $1,000 on a second offense. The old maximum first-time fine was about $50.
The increase fines were recommended by the Ocean City Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit after an unsuccessful experiment with barricades, signs and new traffic patterns to thwart drivers from taking shortcuts on neighborhood streets. Some of the worst problems are near 34th Street, where long lights and tight turns make the back streets tempting.
The city will make an effort to contact companies that have been ticketed before to advise them of the new fine structure.
A second reading and public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Aug. 8.
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