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Yay Columbus! Yay Safe Streets Ordinance! Yay Bikes!

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What exactly does the Safe Streets Ordinance say?

  • clarifies that a bicycle IS A VEHICLE,

  • clarifies as the safe passing distance between a car and a bicycle as 3', and most larger vehicles and a bicycle as 6',

  • adds a specific ban for motor vehicles in bike lanes, with some exceptions,

  • clarifies the law to specifically prohibit motor vehicles from “right/left hooking” bicyclists,

  • requires bicyclists to not text, and to yield to emergency vehicles,

  • allows police officers, firefighters, parking enforcement officers, and special improvement district ambassadors to ride bicycles on sidewalks in the performance of official duties,

  • allows the Public Service Director to to add bikeways and bicycle parking on streets,

  • corrects conflicting language in the parking code,

  • brings traffic code into compliance with portions of state laws, and

  • adds gender inclusive language.

For more details, view 2014 Safe Streets Ordinance Fact Sheet or click to view the actual legislation.

Big thanks to Council Member Michelle Mills for sponsoring this legislation and shepherding it through the process to law, Council Members Zach Klein and Troy Miller for co-sponsoring, and Council Member Eileen Paley for meeting with Yay Bikes! leadership about this legislation back in 2012. Additional thanks to Leslie Strader, Policy Advisor from the Mayor Coleman's Office of Environmental Stewardship, and Randall Bowman, Assistant Director of Public Service for meeting regularly with bicycle advocates as this legislation was being crafted.

Thanks to the 31 Yay Bikes! members who attended the last two City Council Meetings and the Public Hearing in the last week to support passage of the Safe Streets Ordinance: Rahel Babb, John Bannon, Heather Bowden, Jane Boyer, Jay Cheplowitz, Ken Cohen, David Curran, Jack Decker, David Docktor, Bill Ferriot, Ray George, Catherine Girves, Jeff Gove, Gloria Hendricks, Rob Hendricks, Talon Hendricks, Trace Hendricks, David Hohmann, Cartik Kothari, Kai Landis, Keith Mayton, Duane McCoy, Nik Olah, Joe Powell, Steve Puhl, Jr., Oulanje Regan, Gary Schmidt, Barb Seckler, Scott Ulrich, Jim Williams, and Megan Zale.

Finally, our work on this would not have been possible without those of you who financially support Yay Bikes! You rock.

Yay Bikes! Yay Us! You YOU!!