New York City cyclists may eventually get the green light to turn right on red, but not anytime soon. The Department of Transportation has again put forward a set of rule changes that would let riders turn right at certain red lights after stopping and move through specific "top-of-the-T" intersections once the way is clear of pedestrians. The proposal appears in DOT's Fiscal Year 2027 regulatory agenda and repeats a promise first made under the previous administration. The agency is now targeting adoption in the second quarter of FY 2027 - roughly October through December 2026.
What DOT Has Actually Put On Paper
In its FY 2027 regulatory agenda, DOT outlines three key changes it wants to write into city traffic rules:
- Letting cyclists follow pedestrian signals when crossing an intersection.
- Allowing a right turn on red after a full stop and a yield to others, so long as the rider is not turning across opposing traffic lanes.
- Permitting cyclists to carefully proceed through a red light or stop sign at a "top-of-the-T" intersection after stopping and yielding to any pedestrians.
As posted in the City Record, DOT says the goal is to "enhance safety for cyclists" and to formalize riding behavior that the agency previously tested in a 2018 pilot. The notice lays out the legal footing for the proposal and ties the expected timing to the city's fiscal calendar.
Why DOT Says This Makes Streets Safer
DOT spokesperson Vin Barone told reporters that "these proposed rules can help enhance safety by improving visibility between cyclists and drivers," a comment reported by Streetsblog. That outlet also notes that DOT first said it would adopt similar rules in early 2021, then shifted the expected timeline to mid-2021, and later to December 2024. None of those deadlines were met.
Streetsblog frames the 2027 regulatory agenda entry as both a reset and a credibility test. After years of shifting promises, the question is whether this round of rulemaking will move beyond paperwork and into the actual city traffic code.
Albany Eyes A Bigger Shift
While the city fine-tunes its own rules, state lawmakers are considering a broader change. The State Senate currently has a bill on file, S.639, that would legalize an "Idaho stop" statewide. That would let cyclists treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs. According to the New York State Senate, the bill's sponsors argue the shift would cut down the time cyclists spend sitting in conflict zones and improve safety at intersections.
Closer to home, the New York City Council has already gone on record in support of the concept. It passed a resolution urging Albany to adopt stop-as-yield language. The move is one piece of a broader push from advocates, including Transportation Alternatives, who are promoting the policy as part of a larger safe-streets package. For details on the city position, see the resolution posted by the New York City Council.
How DOT Says It Can Do This
To justify the rule changes, DOT points to both city and state law. The notice cites Section 19-195.1 of the New York City Administrative Code, created by Local Law 154 of 2019, along with Section 1111 of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law. In the City Record posting, the agency describes the proposal as an effort to bring the formal Traffic Rules into line with how people already move on city streets.
The same document lists agency contacts for the rulemaking process and confirms that there will be a standard notice and public comment period before any of the new permissions take effect.
What Riders Need To Know Right Now
For the moment, nothing changes at the corner. Until DOT finalizes and adopts new rules and publishes them in the City Record, officers can continue to write tickets based on current law and usual enforcement practices. How the rules are enforced in day-to-day riding will ultimately depend on the exact text of the final regulation and the signs posted on the street.
One point is already settled. Courts have made clear that cyclists are allowed to "go with the walk" during leading pedestrian intervals, meaning they can proceed on red when the pedestrian signal gives the walk sign. That clarification comes from a 2025 court ruling reported by Streetsblog, which riders can cite if they choose to contest tickets written in that scenario.
As for the right-on-red and top-of-the-T changes, New Yorkers will have to keep an eye out for DOT's formal rule notice, which is expected to spell out where the rules apply, how the terms are defined and when they start. The FY 2027 regulatory agenda offers the clearest public timeline so far, although the required rulemaking steps could still stretch things out.
