Title
Resolution Directing Enhanced Enforcement of Bicycle Lane Ordinances and Identification of Engineering Solutions to Prevent Obstruction of Designated Bicycle Lanes
Staff
Reviewed by: John Reiser, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Andre Anderson, Police Chief
Jordan Roberts, Public Services Area Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor has established a growing network of dedicated bicycle lanes to provide safe and accessible transportation routes for cyclists as part of its Comprehensive Transportation plan;
Whereas, Section 10:146, Bicycle Lanes (Chapter 126, Traffic) and Section 2:3, Point of Collection (Chapter 26, Solid Waste) of the City Code of Ann Arbor prohibit the parking of vehicles and placement of curb carts within bicycle lanes;
Whereas, The obstruction of bicycle lanes forces cyclists to merge suddenly into vehicle traffic lanes, creating hazardous conditions;
Whereas, Consistent enforcement of existing regulations is essential to maintain the safety and functionality of the City's bicycle infrastructure;
Whereas, Proactive enforcement measures will better serve the intended purpose of bicycle lanes as safe, dedicated spaces for people to bike;
Whereas, The current system of relying on residents to report violations has not proven effective and places residents in unnecessary conflicts with violators; and
Whereas, Proactive enforcement will provide the City with information that can be used to improve design such that it is more difficult for people to place things there that don’t belong;
RESOLVED, City Council directs the City Administrator to develop and present to the City Council by April 21, 2025:
a) A comprehensive enforcement strategy;
b) Proposed tracking metrics for measuring the effectiveness of enforcement efforts;
c) A public education and outreach plan to promote awareness of bicycle lane regulations via city communication channels.
RESOLVED, City Council directs the City Administrator to provide quarterly reports to the City Council on:
a) The number and location of citations issued for bicycle lane violations;
b) Patterns or trends in violations;
c) The effectiveness of enforcement measures;
d) Recommendations for any necessary modifications to the enforcement strategy as well as engineering solutions.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Akmon, Cornell and Briggs