Bicycling and skateboarding across the renovated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge have been banned by Roanoke officials because of concerns about damage to the structure's surface.

"As important a memorial as the new bridge and statue have become, it's really incumbent on us to do what we can to better maintain this facility," said Bob Bengston, Roanoke director of public works.

A statement released at Bengston's suggestion Thursday afternoon said bicycles may still be walked across the bridge "the same way the city allows them to be walked across the Market Square Walkway [pedestrian bridge]."

He said that city workers have repeatedly removed 30-foot skid marks that are apparently caused by bikes or boards. "That's uncalled for and hopefully the signs will place our law enforcement officers in a better position to deal with that," Bengston added.

The announcement brought swift reaction from bicycle enthusiasts such as Paul Giordano, an architectural equipment repair technician. "It infuriates me that they would spend millions of dollars to renovate this bridge and then you can't ride a bike across it."

Moreover, Giordano pointed out, the new bridge is part of the city's greenway system, the rest of which is designed to accommodate bicycles. Bengston said the Market Square Walkway is part of the greenway too, and neither bikes nor skateboards are allowed there.

The bridge underwent a $4 million renovation completed in October. Luke Pugh, a civil engineer and the city's project manager for the bridge, said in January that he had noticed the skid marks -- mostly on the concrete section at the bottom on the Salem Avenue side. He said then that the marks were apparently caused by bike riders braking hard as they descended.

A safety concern about the bridge gained attention before the Jan. 21 holiday to honor the slain civil rights leader. Much of the bridge has a new wooden surface that can be slick, and engineers applied 250 nonskid strips, which soon began to tear loose and have since been removed.

Neither the wooden nor concrete areas of the bridge are a draw for skateboarders, said Brantley Acree, manager of the Greenhouse Boardshop. "Skateboarders usually want steps or a ledge to ride and do their tricks. If a skateboarder used the bridge, it would just be for transportation," he said. He doubted skateboards are responsible for the skid marks.

Bengston said he doesn't have an eyewitness report of how the damage was done.

He said the city will consult with police officials on appropriate law enforcement response to offenders of the new rule. "If they have to confiscate bikes or whatever, that's what we have to do."