Note: I'm currently on a family trip and not working normal hours. Email and message responses will be delayed and story and posting volumes here and on our social media accounts will not be at their usual levels until I return to Portland September 4th. Thanks for your patience and understanding. - Jonathan Maus, BikePortland Publisher and Editor
“And you’re scratching your head wondering when was the last time you saw one actually stop.”— Harry Esteve, The Oregonian It’s the BTA’s worst nightmare. They’ve spent months preparing for the smooth passage of the Idaho Stop Law (the proposed bill, HB 2690, would allow bicycle operators to enter a stop-sign controlled intersection without stopping … Read more
(Photo © J. Maus) The BTA’s proposal for an Idaho-style stop sign law will get its first public hearing and committee vote later this month. BTA lobbyist Karl Rohde told me this morning that the bill, HB 2690, is scheduled to go in front of the House Transportation Committee at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March … Read more
Idaho-style law fails in Arizona. Will Oregon be any different?(Photos © J. Maus) Arizona’s attempt to adopt an “Idaho-style” stop sign law for bikes has come to a complete stop. According to an article published yesterday in the Tucson Citizen, the bill — which would have changed Arizona’s stop sign law to permit bicycles to … Read more
If you’re looking for more information from the BTA on why they’ve decided to push the Oregon legislature to pass a law that would make it legal for people on bicycles to roll through stop signs (a.k.a. an “Idaho-style” stop sign law), read the statement just published by their lobbyist Karl Rohde. Here are some … Read more
The Frequently Asked Questions below were developed by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) as supporting material for their Idaho Stop Law proposal. Frequently Asked Questions What would this law do? This law would make it legal for bicyclists to treat stop signs like yield signs. A cyclist approaching an intersection controlled by a stop sign, … Read more
The BTA hopes to make it legal to roll through stop signs.(Photos © J. Maus) The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), a Portland-based non-profit with over 5,000 members statewide, has proposed a new law that would make it legal to roll through a stop sign while riding a bicycle in Oregon. In an interview this afternoon, … Read more
A bill that would have allowed bicyclists to yield at stop signs passed the Oregon House in 2003.(File photo) Continuing the discussion of whether or not Oregon should seek an Idaho-style, roll-and-go stop sign law for bicycles, I recently looked back at our previous flirtation with the idea. Back in the 2003 legislative session, Senator … Read more
With the recent flap over stop sign enforcement, there is growing momentum to consider a change in the law. Idaho’s example is often held up as a model Oregon might seek to emulate. Since 1982 Idaho has had a law in the books that allows cyclists to treat stop-signs as yields. In 2005 lawmakers went … Read more
A scene from yesterday’s enforcement mission in Ladds Circle. Neighbors complained about bicyclists and the Police Bureau responded with motorcycle officers.Photo: Aaron Tarfman The recent enforcement mission in Ladds Circle has created a fervor of action and discussion. Twenty-four hours after the incident and comments are still coming in. Here’s a quick recap of what … Read more
[Stop sign on N. Williams Ave.]Photo: haljon/Flickr A recent interview I published about an effort to change the laws around how bicycles treat stop signs touched of an engaging and lengthy debate (92 comments so far). In reaction, this is the first of two posts I will publish to present different perspectives on the proposed … Read more
[Bjorn Warloe] Portland resident Bjorn Warloe wants Oregon to take a cue from Idaho when it comes to how bicycles treat stop signs and traffic lights. Since I met him last December, he has garnered interest and support from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and some lawmakers in Salem. I asked him a few questions about … Read more
There’s a notable addition to the BTA’s 2007 Legislation page. In a section titled “Other Bicycle Bills” (meaning ones they’re not working on themselves) is a mention of a local effort — which I reported on a month ago — to consider changing how bicycles treat stop signs.
Comment of the Week: Gratitude for N/NE Broadway project