Advocates for making Denton more bike- and pedestrian-friendly are praising the city's new "safe passing" law as a step in the right direction.
Denton joined a handful of Texas cities and 16 states in approving a law requiring motorists to allow a safe distance when passing cyclists, pedestrians or other vulnerable road users.
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the ordinance, more than a year after council member Dalton Gregory proposed it. It takes effect April 19.
Denton is developing a bicycle and pedestrian accommodation plan, and a public meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Civic Center to gather feedback. For now, the city's main bicycle accommodation is wide outer lanes, Gregory said.
"We really needed an ordinance that calls attention to the fact that bicycles have a place on roads and that motorists have to be careful," he said.
The city's 1999 master plan encouraged walking and bicycle riding, but the issue took on urgency in recent years with the expected arrival in June of passenger rail service through the Denton County Transportation Authority's A-train. Many riders disembarking the train in downtown Denton will walk and ride bikes to their destinations, and they need better accommodations, Gregory said.
"A lot hinges right now on a very, very good bicycle plan," he said. "We're working on it."
The ordinance passed Tuesday requires motorists to either change lanes or leave a "safe distance" - at least three feet for cars and light trucks and six feet for heavy trucks - when passing vulnerable road users such as walkers, runners, cyclists, people in wheelchairs and anyone whose job requires them to work along the road. Violators can face fines of up to $200.
The ordinance is based on the premise that although cyclists and pedestrians have a right to the road under law, they lack the same physical protections as motorists.
Austin was the first Texas city to adopt a safe-passing ordinance after Gov. Rick Perry vetoed a statewide law in 2009. The nonprofit group Bike Texas is urging cities to pass the protections. IF YOU GO
• What: Public meeting on Denton's pedestrian and bicycle accommodation plan• When: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday• Where: Denton Civic Center, 321 E. McKinney St.• Why: The city is studying ways to make walking and bicycling more viable options for people wanting to get around town. The meeting will allow residents to offer feedback on the issue and view a preliminary bicycle route map.
Howard Draper, who runs the bicycle news and advocacy website Bike Denton, said the ordinance sends a strong message that construction workers, people with disabilities, police officers, firefighters, pedestrians and cyclists deserve a reasonable clearance from passing cars. Much of the ordinance echoes existing state laws that govern cyclists' positioning on the road, when they can or can't occupy a full lane and other issues, he said.
How the Denton Police Department will enforce it remains to be seen. Police officials could not be reached for comment.
Statistics on collisions involving vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians were unavailable.
The ordinance doesn't automatically assume that motorists are at fault in a collision, Gregory said. Vulnerable road users are still required to be cautious and follow the rules of the road.
"They're not asking for some kind of extraordinary privilege to be on the road," Gregory said. "But they are asking for a right to be on the road."
Gregory is seeking a second term in District 2 in the May 14 election. His opponent, college student Zoro Gomez Jr., said he agreed with Gregory on the issue, partly because his dad loves bike riding.
"If it increases the safety of the cyclists and pedestrians, I'm in favor of it," Gomez said.
Denton resident Amber Briggle appeared before the council Tuesday to support the ordinance, saying her husband and several friends had been involved in bicycle-motor vehicle accidents. Briggle, who is serving on an advisory panel for the city's bicycle and pedestrian plan, said she believes the safe-passing ordinance will increase ridership because cyclists will feel safer.
"It's also going to increase awareness for motorists who just might not be looking for us," she said in an interview.
Briggle said she started advocating for cyclists and pedestrians because she wants her 3-year-old daughter to be able to walk safely to school someday. She said she hopes the city follows through with comprehensive accommodations, including more sidewalks, crosswalks and dedicated bike lanes.
"I think this [ordinance] is a good tool," she said. "I really don't want the city to use this as an excuse to placate us and make Denton bike-friendly on the cheap."
LOWELL BROWN can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is lmbrown@dentonrc.com . ABOUT THE ORDINANCE
The following are details of the "safe passing" ordinance the Denton City Council passed Tuesday. The ordinance is designed to offer greater protections to vulnerable road users.
Who is considered a vulnerable road user?
The ordinance includes a detailed list of who qualifies. Common examples include walkers, runners, cyclists, people using wheelchairs, highway construction workers, tow truck operators, utility workers, stranded motorists, horseback riders and skateboarders.
What are drivers supposed to do under the ordinance?
Motor vehicle drivers who pass a vulnerable road user on a street or highway are supposed to (a) move to the left lane if the road has two or more marked lanes running in the same direction, or (b) pass the vulnerable road user at a "safe distance."
What's considered a "safe distance"
for motorists to pass a vulnerable road user?
The ordinance defines a safe distance as three feet for passenger cars and light trucks and six feet for commercial or other vehicles.
What are vulnerable road users required to do?
Vulnerable road users are still required to follow all city and state laws for using public roadways.
Pedestrians, runners and people with physical disabilities are supposed to use a sidewalk when "reasonably available and accessible." If there's no sidewalk, they should travel against traffic as close as possible to the road's edge.
In general, bicycle riders are supposed to ride "as near as practicable" to the right curb or edge of the road if they are travelling slower than general traffic. However, the ordinance allows exceptions for cyclists who need to avoid roadway obstacles, pass a vehicle moving in the same direction, or turn left at an intersection or private drive. The rule also doesn't apply if the cyclist is riding in an outside lane that is (a) less than 14 feet wide and doesn't have a designated bike lane adjacent to that lane, or (b) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to travel safely side by side.
What about one-way streets?
Cyclists riding on a one-way street with two or more marked lanes can ride "as near as practicable" to the left curb or edge of the road.
Can cyclists ride two abreast?
Yes, but under the ordinance they're not supposed to impede the normal flow of traffic. People riding two abreast on a road with marked lanes must ride in a single lane.
What happens if motorists violate the ordinance?
Denton police can issue citations for violations. If found guilty in court, violators face fines of up to $200.
