Tag: no turn on red

Bloomington ban on red-light turns in downtown a good step, pedestrian advocate says, but more work needed

At nearly 80 new spots in Bloomington’s downtown and Indiana University campus area, it will be illegal for a vehicle operator to make a turn after stopping at a red light.

An existing “No Turn on Red” location on 7th Street at College Avenue, looking east. You can’t turn south on red.

On a 9–0 vote on Wednesday, Bloomington’s city council approved the ordinance adding to the list of no-turn-on-red intersections to the city code.

In the staff report submitted for review by the city’s traffic commission, the stated purpose of the additional no-turn-on-red intersections is “to reduce crash risk for vulnerable road users.”

Vulnerable road users include pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized means of transportation.

The new local law is a good step, Bloomington resident Greg Alexander told the city councilmembers, but said there’s a lot of work to be done.

Based on the memo in the meeting information packet, Bloomington’s police department would not see much of an impact on their enforcement activity.

Continue reading “Bloomington ban on red-light turns in downtown a good step, pedestrian advocate says, but more work needed” →

No turn on most red lights: New law considered by Bloomington city council for downtown, campus area

An existing "No Turn on Red" location on Kirkwood Avenue at Walnut Street, looking west. You can't turn north on red.
An existing “No Turn on Red” location on Kirkwood Avenue at Walnut Street, looking west. You can’t turn north on red.
An existing "No Turn on Red" location on 7th Street at College Avenue, looking east. You can't turn south on red.
An existing “No Turn on Red” location on 7th Street at College Avenue, looking east. You can’t turn south on red.

At a committee-of-the-whole meeting on Wednesday, Bloomington’s city council reviewed a new ordinance that would add nearly 80 new spots in the downtown and campus area where making a turn at a red light would be prohibited.

Under Indiana law, vehicles are allowed to make a right turn when the traffic signal shows red, if the way is clear. Left on red is also allowed—from a one-way street onto another one-way street.

The ordinance, which is sponsored by three councilmembers, is intended to reduce crash risk for vulnerable road users, like pedestrians and bicyclists. The three sponsors are Kate Rosenbarger, Ron Smith, and Steve Volan.

The proposal comes a year after a driver headed south on Washington Street, stopped at a red light at 3rd Street, then turned right onto 3rd Street, and struck a pedestrian in the crosswalk, killing her.

Indiana University law school student Purva Sethi died from the Feb. 8, 2020 crash.

City staff members support the council-initiated new law. And based on Wednesday’s deliberations, the additional no-turn-on-red intersections will likely win approval when the ordinance is considered for a vote on April 7. Continue reading “No turn on most red lights: New law considered by Bloomington city council for downtown, campus area” →