Bangor may expand its ban on loitering in the city due to growing safety concerns.
City councilors on Monday will consider adding a line to Bangor’s loitering law that would make it illegal to loiter, either alone or with others, on road medians less than 6 feet wide in “high-volume or high-speed traffic areas.”
The law would apply to most medians in Bangor, with the exception of the grassy area in the middle of Broadway.
The proposed change was spurred by safety concerns from residents about people spending time on narrow medians close to traffic, according to a memo David Szewczyk, Bangor’s city solicitor, wrote to city councilors.
If councilors approve the addition, police officers would be tasked with enforcing the new rule. If someone refuses to move from a median after being ordered, officers would issue a civil penalty, which carries a fine of between $100 to $2,500.
Bangor’s loitering law previously prevented people from obstructing both vehicle and pedestrian traffic on a public street, highway, sidewalk or any other public place or building.
