Wolk bill authorizing cities to enforce bike safety signals moves to Senate

Allows installation and enforcement of bike signals in perpetuity, receives bipartisan support

AB 56 would permanently authorize the use of bicycle signals that 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. Enforcement of light violations became unenforceable when the Vehicle Code sunset on January 1, 2005.

“AB 56 will provide safer roads for bicyclists for years to come,” said Wolk. “California’s problems with transportation have no foreseeable end, and we must do everything possible to encourage alternative modes of transportation.”

Currently, the signals are used in the cities of Davis and Cupertino. Several other major cities throughout California--including Palo Alto, San Francisco and San Diego--have proposed installing the signals.

AB 56 will next be heard in the Senate pending senate rules referral. The bill is supported by the city of Davis, the California Bicycle Coalition, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, the city of Ventura, 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.