ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending CHAPTER 28 of the CODE of the City of Peoria Pertaining to TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLES to Provide Language Consistent with the City of Peoria Bicycle Master Plan. (Refer to Item #16-049)
Body
BACKGROUND: In 2016 City Council adopted Peoria's Bicycle Master Plan. This plan provided Peoria with a much-needed comprehensive interconnected system. This plan was needed because Peoria lacked a comprehensive interconnected system to allow safe and convenient bicycling for commuting to work or school, and shopping and dining areas. This citywide plan helps set practices and priorities needed to implement and maintain a connected network for bicycle riders. Combined with the Complete Streets Policy adopted in 2015, the Bicycle Master Plan represents Peoria's efforts to make our public spaces safe and accessible for users of all ages and abilities.
Contained within the Bicycle Master Plan are recommendations to make the Peoria City Code more bicycle-friendly and safer for bicycle use. Staff reviewed the City Code pertaining to bicycle use, the Illinois Vehicle Code and the City of Chicago's City Code (Chicago is a community with heavy bicycle use) to determine what additions could be made to the Peoria City code to improve bicycle safety and awareness. The recommendations proposed below pertain to the requirement of vehicles when passing and turning in proximity to bicycles.
Turning: This recommendation will address bicycle safety around turning traffic. The intention is to increase driver awareness when turning, either left or right, in proximity of bicyclists. This language is borrowed from the Chicago City Code. The proposed paragraphs are to be added to the end of Chapter 28, Section 28-133 of the Peoria City Code.
Right-of-way to a bicycle on left turn. The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to ...
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