2023 General Assembly Wrap-up

Three Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF)-backed bills passed the General Assembly. If signed by the Governor, these three initiatives will become effective July 1, 2023.

  • Senator Dick Saslaw’s SB 1069 clarifies that drivers are required to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and enables VDOT and jurisdictions to replace “Yield to Pedestrian” signs with “Stop for Pedestrian” signs. 
  • Delegate Jeff Bourne’s HB 2104 increases default boundaries of a school crossing zone from 600 ft to 750 ft from school property, expanding the area where drivers are required to slow to locally determined school zone speed limits. 
  • Delegate Dawn Adams HB1510 authorizes localities to grant tax incentives or provide regulatory flexibility to encourage preservation, restoration, or development of urban green space including greenways.  

We greatly appreciate patrons and co-patrons of the bills listed above and other bicyclist safety initiatives in the 2023 General Assembly session, namely, 

Unfortunately, the Safety Stop and Bicyclists May Proceed on Walk Signals bills encountered headwinds from Virginia State Police (VSP) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and did not advance. Both Safety Stop and Bicyclists May Proceed on Walk Signals are proven safety measures. The Safety stop has already been adopted in nine other states and Washington DC. A concern from both VSP and VDOT was that these bills would create exceptions to a general rule that people riding bicycles on roadways are considered drivers of vehicles. The Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) will engage both organizations in coming months to address their concerns. Virginia law already recognizes that bicycles and motor vehicles are substantially different.  Motor vehicles are an order of magnitude more dangerous than bicyclists, and stop signs were only adopted to control potentially deadly motor vehicle interactions at intersections. In VBF’s view, the safety benefits of proposed legislation warrant exceptions to the general rule that bicycle riders must follow all rules for [motor] vehicles. 

We greatly appreciate partners who spoke in support of VBF initiatives, such as Wyatt Gordon (Virginia Conservation Network), Councilwoman Sarah Bagley (City of Alexandria) and Legislative Director Sarah Taylor (City of Alexandria). Thanks also to everyone who helped educate their legislators about the benefits of bicycling and bicycling safety initiatives and who helped advocate for the advancement of these bills. 

Looking forward: 

Every one of Virginia’s 140 General Assembly seats is up for election in 2023, with several vacancies due to retirements and legislators pursuing other office. We will greatly appreciate your help to educate candidates about the economic, health and environmental benefits of bicycling and the importance of bicycling safety and funding. Please also help arrange rides with candidates who bike! 

VBF will continue to pursue Safety Stop and Bicyclists May Proceed on Walk Signals legislation and will meet with VSP and VDOT representatives in the months ahead to address their concerns with these bills. Please let us know as soon as possible , if you, your organization and/or your jurisdiction is interested in pursuing additional bicycling safety or funding initiatives. We will work with you to make those happen.   

Jim Durham
Advocacy Committee Chair, Virginia Bicycling Federation

VBF President Brantley Tyndall supporting Senator Creigh Deeds’ Safety Stop bill in Senate Transportation. Deeds is to the right.

Bob Crum of Hampton Roads TPO presents on the Birthplace of America Trail to the 2023 Outdoor Recreation Caucus, co-chaired by Senator Emmett Hanger and Delegate David Bulova.

Senator Emmett Hanger with Virginia Trails Alliance Vice President Peter Krebs and Brantley Tyndall at the Outdoor Recreation Caucus reception.

Kindra Greene with the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation, Jessica Bowser with Virginia Outdoor Adventures, Brantley Tyndall, and VBF Board Member Phil Riggan at the Outdoor Recreation Caucus reception.

Alexandria City Councilor Sarah Bagley supports Senator Barbara Favola and Senator Bill DeSteph’s Bikes May Proceed on Walk Signals bill in Senate Transportation.

Brantley Tyndall with Parker Agelasto with Capital Region Land Conservancy, Delegate Betsy Carr who carried the House version of the Safety Stop this session, and Outdoor Recreation Caucus co-chair Delegate David Bulova.