SPRINGFIELD — After a 16-year-old was struck and killed by a car while riding his bike in the local community, State Senator Natalie Toro began advocating for changes to enhance bike lane safety. Today, her measure encouraging local governments to clearly label the safety features in designated bike lanes and create bicycle transportation plans was signed into law.
“Many of us commute on our bikes daily. Without high-quality infrastructure, we are frequently putting ourselves in danger just to get to work, visit friends or get home, which shouldn’t be the case,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “This law will ensure cyclists are better protected from vehicle traffic and better prioritized in future infrastructure planning as biking is an essential mode of transportation for thousands in Illinois.”
Cyclists frequently use maps of existing bike lanes when planning safe routes to ride. However, “bike lanes” have a variety of definitions — including lanes safely blocked off from motor traffic with barriers, but also lanes only separated by drawn lines that may be utilized by parked cars or people pulling over. Without more transparency about the safety features of designated “bike lanes,” cyclists have chosen routes without knowing they may be much closer to motorists without barriers to protect them — lanes that report significantly more accidents and injuries to bikers.
To fix the lack of transparency, Toro passed a law allowing local governments to update maps of the existing bikeways with classifications of bike lanes that specify the safety features and degree of separations between motorists in each lane, which allows cyclists to make informed decisions on the routes they take.
Additionally, cities and counties will be able to create their own bicycle transportation plans. These plans can include estimating the number of cyclists coming through the area, allowing planners and developers to use a data-informed approach when determining the number of bike lanes needed and potential new routes.
The measure comes after the tragic death of 16-year-old Josh Anleu, who was hit by a driver rolling through a stop sign on the corner of Waveland and Long Avenues on Oct. 4, 2023. He is one of many people who were killed or injured at the same intersection due to distracted driving, speeding or drivers simply refusing to yield for those who are sharing the road.
“As a former teacher who had students bike to and from school, it is heartbreaking to know a young person just like my students was killed while doing this everyday activity — not only a practical method of transportation, but also a hobby he loved and one we encourage our kids to take part in,” said Toro. “If we are serious about encouraging our young people, and those of all ages, to take up cycling for its positive health and environmental effects, we need to commit to making biking safer, and this law will do just that.”
Senate Bill 3202 was signed into law on Friday. It goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
