Ocean Pines Association member Patti Stevens is pushing the Board of Directors to create a legal bike path along Ocean Parkway.

Maryland.gov site includes this info about Stevens' background:

Patti Stevens is the founding co-chair of the Worcester County Bike and Pedestrian Coalition. The Coalition works to improve and expand safe places to ride and walk for those who live, work, and visit the Eastern Shore. Patti was appointed by Governor Hogan to represent the Eastern Shore on the Maryland Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and by Governor Moore to represent bike and pedestrian needs on the Commission for Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs. Patti moved to Ocean Pines, Maryland in 2019

So, is a legal (or whatever the proper description may be) bike path possible along Ocean Parkway?

From Maryland.gov website:

"If parking lanes exist along the roadway, a minimum 5 ft bike lane is required between the through lane and parking lane."

See links below.

 Parking on OPA Roads

Bicycle Policy Design Guidelines

Appendix C - PedBikeCode.pdf

It would appear that a legal bike path on Ocean Parkway is virtually impossible to put in place, short of cutting down all trees and shrubs in the median area and paving it over to widen the travel lanes. Does anyone believe any OPA board would approve doing so?

In fact, the current lined area along the Parkway at this time, if promoted by OPA as a legal bike path, could be problematic should an injury occur.

OPA vice-president Rick Farr tells OceanPinesForum.com the board is not likely to approve a bike path on the parkway that would involve removal of trees and paving the median. Farr also says legal counsel expresses concerns about OPA designating a bike lane on the Parkway.

Unfortunately as well, and as well-interntioned as bike path supporters are, when Boise Cascade designed Ocean Pines there was little or no concern about bike paths. The right-of-way necessary simply does not exist in a manner that is suitable and safe.