In a move to actively protect cyclists on Montgomery County streets, the County Council yesterday passed the bicycle safety legislation known as Bill 28-25. Introduced by Councilmember Evan Glass and unanimously supported by the council, the bill aims to stop vehicles from parking in designated bikeways, a demand long-made by cycling advocates.
“This new law builds on the Safe Streets Act and advances our efforts to ensure cyclists no longer have to veer into traffic to avoid parked cars — making our roads safer for everyone. Its passage marks an important step toward our Vision Zero goals and a safer Montgomery County,” Councilmember Glass, who also chairs the Transportation & Environment Committee, told Montgomery County News. The legislation intends to fully prevent the possibility for cyclists to have to dangerously navigate around vehicles that block their path, which aligns with the county's Vision Zero goals to eliminate severe traffic accidents by 2030.
Statistics from the county indicate a pressing need for safer cycling conditions. With 115 cyclist-involved crashes, including one fatality, reported in just the first nine months of this year, the urgency for change can hardly be overstated. This law brings Montgomery County in line with other regional jurisdictions like Rockville, Washington, D.C., and Howard County which have already placed bans on parking in bikeways.
“It makes perfect sense to prohibit cars and trucks from blocking the use of those bike lanes, even for short periods of time. Blocked bike lanes force cyclists to move into car traffic lanes, thus negating the very purpose of those bike lanes, which is to make it safer for all non-car users to travel on those roads,” said Peter Gray, a Maryland organizer with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, underscoring that obstructed bike lanes force cyclists to merge into car traffic lanes. The new legislation received wide backing, including from the Action Committee for Transit whose president, Shanika Whitehurst, insisted that “Parked cars in bikeways endanger the safety of people who are using them. One life lost is one too many, and this bill will provide a necessary layer of added safety,” as noted by the Montgomery County News.
The bill's push for safety doesn't halt at adult cyclists but extends to the younger demographic as well. “Biking to school has many benefits but safety must have priority. This bill directly addresses keeping protected bike lanes cleared so that even our youth have the open path needed for safe school travel,” Melissa Regan, Co-chair of MCCPTA Safe Routes to Schools, emphasized the importance of keeping bike lanes clear for secure student travel, as stated on the County MD Council's website.
