NEW ILLINOIS LAWS
Complete Streets is now Illinois law for IDOT roadways!!!
The bill was approved overwhelmingly by the Legislature in June, but was gutted by Gov. Blagojevich’s amendatory veto on August 31. The bill had required IDOT to include walkways and bicycle ways in their road designs in urban areas (with reasonable exceptions). The veto made this optional. Both the Senate (53-0, October 3) and the House (109-3, October 10) voted to return to the original, meaningful language.
The result? IDOT reconstruction and expansion roadwork in urban areas must now include provision for people who walk or bike. IDOT performance in this area had been poor, despite calls for reform of urban sidewalk and bikeway policies by the League of Illinois Bicyclists, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, and others.
Three foot clearance when passing a bicycle is now the law.
Motorists “squeezing by” bicyclists create a dangerous situation with no maneuvering room for bikes to avoid hazards. Many motorists do not know a minimum safe passing clearance.
Others intentionally pass too closely, to harass cyclists. This new law does not create new passing requirements that do not already exist. By law, vehicles – including bikes - must be passed at a safe distance. The new law clarifies existing law about vehicles passing others at a safe distance, by requiring a minimum 3 feet clearance when passing bikes It also clarifies that bikes do not have to stay close to the curb where right turns are permitted to avoid “right hook” crashes. It also permits the option of using the right arm to signal a right turn.
This new law is the result of strong efforts made by the League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB).
Think about becoming an LIB supporting member. Right now a significant portion of LIB's financial support comes from Illinois bicycle club donations and contributions but a number of strong bicycle advocates lend additional support through individual and family memberships and donations.
The League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB) is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to making Illinois a better place for bicyclists. It is the statewide advocacy voice for all Illinois bicyclists, promoting bicycle access, education, and safety.
For more information visit their website www.bike.ib.org.