On Sunday, while you were enjoying 30 miles of car-free cycling on Lake Shore Drive, the Illinois General Assembly was hard at work. In an overwhelming vote (101-11), they passed HBÂ 2860. It now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature.
This bill will allow bicyclists to treat a red light as a stop sign and proceed with caution if the red light fails to turn green in a reasonable amount of time. The bill's provisions only apply if the red light signal fails to detect the cyclist due to the light weight of the bike or another signal malfunction. The bill does not apply in the City of Chicago.
An initiative of the motorcyclists (who would also be covered) lobby, the bill is controversial. What is a reasonable amount of time? Can the straight on red provision lead to more cycle v. pedestrian crashes? Will the bill create more confusion on the roadway?
If the bill becomes law, Active Trans enourages you to exercise caution. Only proceed on red after coming to a complete stop, ensuring there is no danger from cross traffic and ensuring that there are no pedestrians in the intersection.