Politics & Government
New Ordinance Makes It Illegal to Jump From a Bridge in St. Charles
Bridge-jumping in one St. Charles neighborhood had residents particularly worried.
A problem with teenagers jumping off bridges in New Town has led to a new ordinance that makes bridge-jumping illegal in the City of St. Charles.
Unusually heavy rainfall this spring and early summer raised the water level in New Town's canals and lakes, making the practice even more dangerous.
Concerned residents contacted their council representatives, who responded with the ordinance that was passed at Tuesday night's meeting.
New Town has had "No jumping" signs posted, but police couldn't ticket the bridge-jumpers without an ordinance making it illegal, St. Charles Administrative Assistant Jennifer Wohldmann told Patch.
"Besides a few bridges over creeks, the bridges at New Town are the only bridges in the city," she said.
The city couldn't write an ordinance just for New Town, so the new law covers all of the city.
Bridges over the Missouri River are under MoDOT's jurisdiction and subject to state law, Wohldmann said.
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