IDOT Complete Streets legislation update - October 10, 2007

The Illinois House just voted to override the Governor's amendatory veto on Senate Bill 314 - meaning that Complete Streets is now Illinois law for IDOT roadways!!!

The bill was approved overwhelmingly by the Legislature in June, but was gutted by Gov. Blagojevich's amendatory veto on August 31. The bill had required IDOT to include walkways and bicycle ways in their road designs in urban areas (with reasonable exceptions). The veto made this optional. Both the Senate (53-0, October 3) and the House (109-3, October 10) voted to return to the original, meaningful language.

The result? IDOT reconstruction and expansion roadwork in urban areas must now include provision for people who walk or bike. IDOT performance in this area had been poor, despite calls for reform of urban sidewalk and bikeway policies by LIB, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, and others. Our thanks go to the bill sponsors (Sen. Ed Maloney, Rep. Joe Lyons), and also to CBF for leading the charge on this year's version of the bill. Both organizations will continue our work with IDOT on policy revisions - but this time backed by Illinois law.

(Further background from an earlier bill is at www.bikelib.org/completestreets/sb508mtg1005.pdf. LIB's analysis of IDOT's bike and ped policies is at www.bikelib.org/political_state/bdemanualreview.pdf.)

PS: Thanks to all of you who contacted your legislators!

Ed Barsotti, Executive Director
League of Illinois Bicyclists