Stop as Yield Idaho Stop Law

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3 Stop as Yield Idaho Stop Law Considerations for Fort Collins Bicycle Advisory Committee August 12,

4 Presentation overview Process for collecting information Overview of the Stop as Yield Law Case studies (existing laws) Application to Fort Collins Strengths Limitations Opportunities Threats General recommendations 2

5 Process for collecting information Informal feedback from the public (stakeholders, general public) Technical memorandum prepared by Fehr & Peers (City of Aspen) Jason Meggs research Conversation with Dillon Town Manager and the City of Aspen s (TVCA, City of Breckenridge) General survey of online blogs, articles, state of the practice 3

6 Summary of feedback Mixed feedback from informal conversations No major issues in communities where it exists today Limited data directly related to the law Largely supported by leading bicycle experts and advocates 4

7 Stop as Yield Law What is it? Allows people on bikes to treat stop signs as yield signs, still required to obey right of way rules The Idaho Stop Law Allows people on bikes to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs Municipal, county or statewide code change 5

8 The Idaho Stop Law Video hyperlink: 6

9 Key elements, Stop as Yield 7 Required to obey right of way rules Required to stop for safety Required to yield for pedestrians Difference: if it s your turn and safe to do so, you may roll through Can still be ticketed for reckless behavior Applies to stop signs only or stop signs and stop lights Can be tailored to fit the needs of the community (age restrictions)

10 The Idaho Stop Law 1982 Stop Law exception passed: bicycles may treat stop signs as yields and stop lights as stop signs (right turns as yield) Did not change the general right of way rules at intersections Only one known study documenting the safety impacts 8

11 The Idaho Stop Law: Meggs research (2010) Jason Meggs, UC Berkeley graduate student Source: Scope: crash analysis and interviews to determine the impact of the law on cyclist safety Interviews with law enforcement, public officials, transportation professionals, bicycle advocates and the general public indicated strong support of the law and no negative safety result associated with its passage Meggs, Jason; Bicycle Safety and Choice: Compounded Public Cobenefits of the Idaho Law, Relaxing Stop Requirements for Cycling 9

12 The Idaho Stop Law: Meggs research (2010) Crash analysis: Statewide crash data summaries (severity, location and mode): No evidence of long-term increase in injury or fatality rates resulting from the law Reported a 14.5% decrease in injury rates the year after the law went into effect 10

13 The Idaho Stop Law: Meggs research Study flaws: Did not document which types of bicycle-related crashes were reduced Did not examine why Did not report bicycle-involved crashes where passed stop sign or failure to yield the right of way was the contributing circumstance 11

14 12 letters of support for oregon bill

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16 14 letters of support for oregon bill

17 The Idaho Stop Law Treasure Valley Cycling Association ( , may not reflect the position of the organization) As a cyclist, it s terrific As a motorist, virtually no motorists understand that cyclists have this ability under the Idaho law and most cyclists don t understand the specifics of the law leads to confusion and antagonism from motorists toward cyclists 15

18 The Idaho Stop Law (TVCA) (Continued) As a cycling instructor, predictability is one of the keys to safe cycling. Because so many Idaho cyclists don t understand or take advantage of the law, it creates a situation where motorists can never have a good sense of what the cyclist is going to do. We teach cyclists the realities of the law, but then encourage them to never go through a red light when a motorist is waiting in the same lane. Just sit there and travel through the intersection just like the motorist. 16

19 The Colorado Experience Adopted in Summit Co (unincorporated), Dillon, Breckenridge Moving toward adoption in Aspen Interest in Denver (blog post from Ryan McCann, BikeDenver) 17

20 Dillon (2011) Town Manager (conversation & memo) Initiated through public official and local community interest No reported increase in bicycle-involved crashes related to the ordinance Overall positive reaction from cyclists, drivers and Law Enforcement appears to be a more friendly environment Has seen no reason to install additional regulatory signs 18

21 Dillon (2011) 19 Sec : Slowing or stopping at stop signs: A person operating a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another street so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection or junction of streets, except that a person, after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping. (Ord )

22 Breckenridge (2010) 20 Chris Kulick, CDD ( and memo) Police Department and Bicycle Friendly Community Task Force Concerns of general disobedience and belief that the law should reflect cyclist behavior Police indicated no noticeable change in crashes involving cyclists at stop signs No reported issues with the ordinance, essentially grandfathered existing activity Hasn t seen a need for regulatory signs (visual clutter another reason)

23 Breckenridge (2010) Sec (Modifying Section 1412 of the Model Traffic Code For Colorado, 2010): (12) (a) A person operating a bicycle or electrical assisted bicycle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping. (b) A person operating a bicycle or electrical assisted bicycle approaching a steady red traffic control signal shall stop before entering the intersection, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right of way if required, may cautiously make a right hand turn without stopping or may cautiously make a left hand turn onto a one-way roadway without stopping. 21

24 Summit County Thad Noll, Assistant Summit County Town Manager (memo) Law applies to unincorporated Summit County No reported issues since adoption Only concern is that all three communities have slightly different language (confusion among users and law enforcement) 22

25 Summit County 23 Section 5 of the Summit County Traffic Code A person operating a bicycle or electrical assisted bicycle approaching a stop sign or a steady red traffic control signal shall slow down and, if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection, except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-ofway if required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.

26 Aspen 24 Initiated to support the City s goal of improving the safety and comfort of those traveling by bicycle City officials have determined it is safer for bicycle riders to reduce speed, look left and right, and roll through an intersection with improved safety outcomes the inertia of a bicycle requires greater effort and control to bring to a complete stop possibly leading to a loss of control a bicycle approaching a STOP sign creates anxiety in motorists as they are not always certain how the rider will behave Currently drafting code

27 Boise Application to Fort Collins Strong similarities, Fort Collins already has a much higher bike mode split Summit County towns Smaller, tourist towns, winter is the high season Fort Collins Like other Colorado communities, could adopt as a municipal code would need to consider application to State highways 25

28 Things to keep in mind Bicycles are different than motor vehicles (in law and reality): Travel speeds are generally slower and can stop more quickly Greater field of vision, better sensory awareness Stopping/starting energy is different Greater vulnerability (safety + emissions) Bicyclists have a motivation to protect themselves 26

29 Strengths Limitations Opportunities Threats Establishes bike-friendly policy and law one key element of a BFC making cycling as safe and convenient as possible. Codifies existing, natural behavior. Recognizes bicycles for their inherent differences to motor vehicles. Supports efficient travel for people on bikes (goal of infrastructure design), and other modes. Potential safety and health benefits cyclist maintains greater balance at intersection, reduced exposure at intersections, safety in numbers. Communicates the City s priorities around active trans. Reduces the lack of enforcement perspective, allows for prioritized enforcement. 27 Allows people on bikes to choose the safest time for crossing. Insufficient data to demonstrate impact. Difficult to communicate and message. Fails to create sweeping change. Essentially already in place today. Inconsistencies with other communities. Potentially low ROI. SLOT Promotes bicycling. Generally, bicycling should be conv. and easy. Some research has shown excessive stopping impedes the desire and path chosen by a bicyclist. Increases bicycling, improves safety. Reduces congestion, establishes more efficient traffic flow. Reduces bicyclist exposure to pollutants at intersections. Reduces bicyclist exposure time at intersections clear intersection faster. Cyclists have more options when in motion. Creates and communicates clear enforcement priorities. Opportunity for a comprehensive outreach and education campaign. Further divide between motorists and bicyclists. Backlash (frontlash). Could be viewed as destructive vs. constructive policy. Difficult to communicate. Extensive outreach and education needed for all roadway users. Applicability to signalized intersections. Outreach to visitors, students, youth considerations. Money to implement and follow through with a communication plan. Counter to current educational curriculum -- bikes fare best as vehicles. Slippery slope?

30 Strengths To promote bicycling and increase safety, policies and infrastructure should be designed to reflect the needs of people on bikes 28

31 Mia Birk on Stop as Yield A bicycle is not the same as a motor vehicle. As we evolve our understanding of the bicycle as a mainstream form of transportation for the masses, not just for fit adrenaline junkies on speedy bikes, so too must we evolve our traffic control devices and laws. You see, stop signs are placed at intersections to keep twoton vehicles from crashing into each other. One to two hundred pound riders with bicycles do not need to come to a complete stop to avoid serious injury. 29

32 Associated research Avoiding frequent stops of high importance to bicycle route preference Bicycling is higher on routes with fewer stops People bicycling experience increased exposure to pollutants at intersections Bicycle boulevards are largely designed to prioritize movement, safety and efficiency for people bicycling (and walking) People on bikes will travel out of their way to use a bicycle boulevard 30

33 Recommendations First, define the goal and the problem Goals: To increase bicycling and improve safety To establish bicycling as a comfortable, convenient, safe and efficient mode of travel Problems: Laws and traffic control largely designed around motor vehicles, generally not to support efficient and comfortable movement for people riding bikes Rolling stops are a common and natural behavior in Fort Collins 31

34 Recommendations 32 Recommend the BAC consider further study of Stop-as-Yield provisions for people bicycling in Fort Collins Options: Propose further study to the Transportation Board Propose further evaluation as part of the Bike Plan update (gather public input through formal process) Propose pilot signage project (yield controlled for bicycles) Recommend application to stop signs only NOT signalized intersections Stop lights pose a very different situation due to higher volumes and speeds

35 Recommendations 33 Couple with other supportive strategies Infrastructure: Green wave corridors Bike boulevards Signage Education and outreach campaign: To educate all roadway users of the law change (slow and roll) Enforcement: Develop a plan with Law Enforcement to prioritize locations and reckless behavior

36 Other considerations Evaluate state law implications: Current code as it applies to state highways Necessary approval of regulations which affect state highways Age restrictions Roadways needing incorporation under code change (outside of Fort Collins jurisdiction) Source: City of Aspen, Fehr & Peers memorandum 34

37 Questions and Discussion Tessa Greegor FC Bikes Program Manager 35