Cobb Island, MD- On Saturday, September 11, 2021, the Cobb Island Citizens Association met with Maryland State Senator Arthur Ellis, 28th Legislative District to seek help regarding the prevalence of golf carts on their streets, securing areas beneath the new bridge that connects the island to the mainland, and adding a second turn lane at US 301 and MD 257 to ease weekend backups on 301.
An estimated more than 50 Cobb Island residents voiced their concerns and suggestions to Ellis over the most heavily discussed subject of golf carts on their streets, which many of the residents appear to use to move about the island.
The essence of their request was to seek state legislation to define golf carts as a vehicle in the Maryland Transportation Code in the Low-Speed Vehicle category, in order to require vehicle identification on the carts, basic safety equipment such as lights, and a driver with a state-issued driver’s license.
Evening travel by the carts without lights, the inability to identify drivers and carts driven unsafely, and the occurrence of unlicensed young drivers of the carts were cited by various attendees as major issues.
Senator Ellis, after receiving a large majority hand vote in seeking such legislation, agreed to instruct his staff to research the issue’s history and the legal ramifications of such legislation prior to creating and proposing such legislation.
Ellis also pointed out that the desire by the community to reinstall barriers under the terminus of the Route 254 Bridge to keep individuals from using and leaving trash under the new bridge would be referred to the Maryland Highway Administration. He also pointed out that the Maryland State Police could be contacted regarding trespassers under the bridge once the barriers are reinstalled since it was part of the state transportation network.
Ellis said that his staff would research providing a second left-turn lane at the intersection of 301 and highway 257 which is a primary artery for travel to Cobb Island. Residents had expressed concern on the major delays southbound at that intersection on weekends.