Wolk bill authorizing cities to enforce bike safety signals passes committee

Legislation would allow installation and enforcement of bike signals in perpetuity

Assembly Bill 56 seeks to remove the sunset provision and allow enforcement of bicycle traffic light violations indefinitely. The light violations became unenforceable when the Vehicle Code sunset on January 1, 2005.

“AB 56 would ensure that bicyclists have safer roads to ride on for years to come,” said Assemblywoman Wolk. “The bill does not appropriate any new money, and any new costs incurred by the state would be negligible. It does, however, provide cities with the authority to enforce a basic safety measure.”

Bicycle signals have been used with great success in the City of Davis for a number of years, reducing collisions between bicycles and automobiles to a fraction of what they were before modification. At one intersection bordering UC Davis, there were sixteen collisions in the three years prior to the signals’ installation. At least half of these accidents involved bicycles or pedestrians. In the sixteen months following this alteration, there were only two accidents, neither of which involved bicycles or pedestrians. In addition, a survey completed by the city showed that bicyclists tended to feel much safer after the installation of the signals.

“In a state with an increasingly large transportation problem, we should do everything possible to encourage alternative modes of transportation,” concluded Wolk. “AB 56 ensures that bike signals already in place and those installed in the future are put to the best use possible.”

AB 56 passed the Transportation Committee with an 11-2 vote, and will be next heard in the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The bills supporters include the city of Davis, the California Bicycle Coalition, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, the Planning and Conservation League, the California Alliance for Consumer Protection, the Automobile Club of Northern California, and the California Automobile Association, the city of San Buenaventura.