Vehicle cruising is now prohibited in certain areas of Washington — all of Stewart Parkway and the section of Water Street from Market Street to McNair Street.

During its meeting Monday, the Washington City Council amended the city code to impose the no-cruising regulation. The prohibition took effect immediately upon its adoption.

“This ordinance will assist with preventing traffic congestion, noise (from vehicle engines, screeching of tires, car stereos), littering within the city,” reads a city document.

Anyone ticketed for cruising in the prohibited areas runs the risk of paying a $50 civil fine or other penalties. Areas where cruising is prohibited will be posted.

The ordinance defines cruising as “the repetitive driving of any motor vehicle past a traffic control point in traffic at or near the traffic control point.” The ordinance defines repetitive driving as “operating a motor vehicle past a traffic control point more than three times within two hours.” A traffic control point is any point or points within the “no cruising” area established by the Washington Police Department for the purposes of monitoring cruising.

“The violator’s conduct must be such to demonstrate a specific intent to cruise. No arrest shall be made for a violation of this section unless the arresting officer first affords an opportunity to explain such conduct; and no person shall be convicted of violating this section if it appears at trial that the explanation given was true and disclosed a lawful purpose, not unnecessary, repetitive driving,” reads the ordinance.

The ordinance provides the following exemptions:

• any authorized emergency vehicle;
• any publicly owned vehicle of any municipal, county, state or federal government vehicle when that vehicle is operated for official purposes;
• any taxicabs, public transit buses, livery or other vehicles operated for business purposes.

Continued violations of the ordinance could result in a person paying additional penalties or going to jail for not more than 30 days.