By Jarred Meeks
The Zionsville Town Council unanimously passed an ordinance regulating golf carts on certain town streets.
The council has heard residents voice their desire to operate golf carts on public streets for some time. On Sept. 3, the council took measures to ensure transportation would be regulated to address potential traffic and safety hazards.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, the ordinance will only allow those with a valid driver’s license to drive a golf cart on approved streets within the urban district of Zionsville. And starting Jan. 2, 2020, the Zionsville Police Dept. will issue registration permits for golf carts that meet town requirements, according to a town press release. Violators will be fined accordingly.
Golf carts will be prohibited on certain streets, including major thoroughfares, such as 106th Street, 116th Street, County Road 300 South, West 96th Street, County Road 975 East, Zionsville Road, Whitestown Road, Willow Road, Willow Street and Ford Road, in addition to other streets, when the ordinance is implemented.
To register a golf cart, residents must pay an annual, recurring registration fee of $100 for each golf cart. Revenue generated from the fees will be deposited into the town’s police operating fund to offset costs of kickstarting and maintaining the program.
Golf cart operators also must have a valid driver’s license and proof of financial responsibility.
Cart drivers also must obey all driver’s licensing requirements and Indiana traffic laws, such as yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicycles, and transport more passengers than the cart was designed to carry.
All carts must have headlights, brake lights, a rearview mirror, a slow-moving vehicle sign and a horn. They also must stay to the far right of the road and yield to passing cars as soon as it’s possible to do so safely.
Prohibited streets
Under the ordinance, golf carts will be prohibited from traveling on the following streets, unless crossed at a right angle to get from one town street to another when doing so can be done safely:
- 106th Street
- 116th Street
- 300 South
- 96th Street
- 975 East
- Ash Street, only from the portion of Mulberry Street to Maple Street
- Elm Street, only from the portion of Willow Street to Willow Road
- First Street
- Ford Road
- Maple Street, only from the portion of Ash Street to Willow Street
- Mulberry Street
- Oak Street, only from the portion of First Street to the corporate town limit
- Sycamore Street, only from the portion of First Street to Michigan Road
- Whitestown Road
- Willow Road
- Willow Street
- Zionsville Road
- Main Street form 106th Street to Sycamore Street
