Bicycle Transportation Safety Ordinances

Bike Cleveland has been advocating with Cleveland City Council to pass a series of policies that will protect cyclists on the road, one of which requires motorists to give cyclists 3-feet on the road (commercial vehicles would be required to give 6-feet). The legislation for these ordinances was introduced on Monday, May 7th and is scheduled to be voted into existence on June 4th. Here is a copy of the legislation as it was introduced (the new pieces related to bicycle safety are underlined in the link).

UPDATE and ACTION NEEDED:

1. Call and email your councilperson right now. Tell them to support Ordinance 672-12, the Bicycle Transportation Safety Ordinance, and to protect the safety of cyclists on our roads. Here is a list of council members and their contact info.

2. Come to the Cleveland City Council meeting at 7pm on Monday, June 4th. Lets pack council chambers with people who love bikes as a show of support for the Bicycle Transportation Ordinance. The more people in attendance, the more powerful our voice in support of safe cycling, and a more bike-friendly Cleveland. Show unity as cyclists by bringing your helmet to the meeting.

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In April Bike Cleveland proposed to council a series of model ordinances, similar to ones that have been passed in cities like Chicago, Cincinatti, and Fort Worth. Check out our proposal. The short of it, we are asking for city ordinances that:

1. Requiring motorists to maintain a three-foot passing clearance; or must move out of the cyclists lane if possible.

2. Bike Licensing: Eliminate the existing bike licensing ordinance that requires cyclists to be licensed to ride on the streets in the City of Cleveland and use the National Registry.

3. Parking, Driving, or Standing on a bike path or lane: ordinance that prohibits driving or parking on any on-street path or lane designed for use solely by bicycles or other non-motorized vehicle.

4. Intersection Safety – this ordinance states that no turn by a motorist may interfere with a bicycle proceeding straight through the inter-section to avoid what are known as “right hook” or “left hook” collisions.

A compliment to the city of Cleveland’s Complete and Green Streets Ordinance, these ordinances will help to make our existing streets safer for both motorists and cyclists. This series of ordinances are a cost effective way to make our streets safe for all users immediately. They will help transform Cleveland’s transportation infrastructure into one that accommodates all users, and encourages more people to bike more often. More biking leads to a more healthy, vibrant community.

Interest in bicycling in Cleveland is on the rise. According to the most recent American Community Survey results, there has been an increase in people commuting to work by bicycle from 0.2% in 2000 to 0.8% in 2010. While there is a growing interest in bicycling there are still barriers that prevent people from safely biking in the city. According to the most recent Benchmarking Report published by the Alliance for Biking and Walking, in Cleveland, there were 5.7 bicycle fatalities per 10,000 daily cyclists when averaging the data between 2007-2009. This is 40% higher than the average of the 50 largest US cities.

These ordinances will give law enforcement a measurable tool for defining a safe distance for passing and sharing the road with bicycles. With more people biking there is a need to educate the public on how to best share the road and reduce the chance for serious injury.

Frequently asked questions.