The State : City Welcomes Skateboarding

Palo Alto, the city that reimburses its employees 7 cents a mile to ride bikes to work, has taken steps to encourage commuter use of the skateboard. With passage of a controversial ordinance, the city is permitting skateboards on all but 25 of its busiest streets. The move has thrilled skateboarders--many cities, including nearby San Francisco, make skateboarding illegal-- but is unpopular with bicyclists, who fought for years to develop a bike trail system on Palo Alto streets. Bicyclists fear that skateboard riders may become unwelcome hazards on their trails.