The town of Livingston could soon make golf cars street-legal.
Many residents in the town of Livingston use golf carts or other low-speed motorized vehicles to get around in residential areas, but according to Louisiana state law, it’s illegal to do so.
Mayor Jonathan “JT” Taylor is preparing to introduce an ordinance at the next town council meeting to change that. He says the growing small town is seeing more and more golf carts and UTVs on the roadways, and he wants those residents to be able to enjoy them safely and legally.
“We love our community, the way it’s built, the outlay. It’s a great place for it. In the evenings, people are riding golf carts around, stopping by people’s houses. It’s just a good community feel,” Mayor Taylor said.
State law allows municipalities to make ordinances that permit low-speed vehicles on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or lower. The operators must have a valid driver’s license, and the vehicles have to meet certain requirements, such as having rearview mirrors and turn signals.
“If we followed state law, we would just have no one on our streets, you can’t be on a golf cart. We don’t want that,” he said.
Constance Needham is a resident in the town of Livingston who recently was gifted a golf cart. She says she and her two small children enjoy riding in it on the road next to her home.
“Just riding around the neighborhood, riding to the snowball stand and the park, they really enjoy it and it’s easy for us to get around, especially in a small town,” Needham said.
Needham, like many other residents, is looking forward to the mayor’s ordinance being approved. She hopes others will use the golf carts responsibly.
“I do understand that safety is a concern because we don’t want people flipping them and getting hurt. But I’m hoping something can be reached,” she said.
The mayor plans to introduce the ordinance at the next council meeting on June 8. By the following meeting, he hopes it is approved so residents can enjoy the summer regardless of what kind of wheels they’re riding on.
