As of January 1, 2006, Oregon bicyclists have two new legal rights, thanks to the work of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Oregon Legislature. 

After months of work, shepherding the bill through committees, amendments, and both legislative chambers, BTA Policy and Education Director Scott Bricker and Oregon bike lawyer Ray Thomas celebrated as Governor Kulongoski signed Senate Bill 938 into law on June 28.

Previous to SB 938, Oregon law prohibited cyclists from leaving bicycle lanes and paths when they were present.  Thanks to the new law, bicyclists will be able to leave bike lanes to avoid debris and other hazardous conditions, to turn or go through an intersection, or to pass other cyclists.

The law will also allow cyclists to legally pass on the right in a shared lane of traffic when it is safe to do so, including using shoulders and on wide lanes.  A third provision, which would have changed the law concerning bikes in crosswalks and on curb-cuts, was removed from the bill.

The changes will ease traffic flow, protect cyclists of all ages and abilities, and provide cyclists with legal protection in the event of crashes.

“Passing a bill is no cakewalk,” says Bricker. “The legislative process is a long one, with many pitfalls and dead ends.” Of over 3,000 bills introduced each legislative session, only a few hundred become law.

The bills passed both houses by large bipartisan majorities, and legislators across Oregon provided leadership and support.  Especially critical were Representative Jackie Dingfelder (D-NE Portland), Representative Chuck Burley (R-Bend), Representative George Gilman (R-Medford), Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene area), and Senator Richard Devlin (D-Lake Oswego).

The BTA also worked with the legislature to pass House Bill 2742, which establishes a statewide Safe Routes to School fund to help communities increase bicycling and walking to school. The BTA anticipates this program will receive federal transportation funds of up to $2 million per year once Congress passes its transportation funding reauthorization bill.

Many thanks go to the legislative champions who worked with the BTA to pass these bills – and to the BTA members and bicyclists around the state who contacted their representatives to ask for support of these bills. Bicyclists were responsive, well spoken, and influential, and in this case, successful in improving Oregon’s laws.

The new laws took effect January 1, 2006.