Source: Indianapolis City-County Building. Picture from Indy.gov
INDIANAPOLIS — City-county councilors in Indianapolis decided not to proceed with a plan to outfit more intersections downtown with “No Turn On Red” signs this week.
The proposal had been a part of an overall swath of spending proposals approved by the council Monday night, but the No Turn On Red proposal was absent from the final product.
The proposal was dropped due to a new law signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb last week. The bill includes language added late in the legislative process that prohibits the city of Indianapolis from enacting any new bans on right turns on red.
That language was shoehorned in by State Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis), who at the outset called the proposal by city leaders “stupid.”
“It’s a serious issue for traffic congestion. It’s a serious issue for the commuting public to get from point A to point B,” said Freeman on WISH-TV. “That’s just a problem for everyone who would go to downtown Indianapolis.”
Connie Schmucker is a bike instructor at a bike shop downtown. She was in favor of the proposal based on her experience.
“If you are looking to your left to see if it’s clear to make a right turn, you’re not looking in front of you,” she said. “Just because you’re allowed to turn on red doesn’t mean you have to turn on red. When I come through and have the green light and someone is looking to turn on red, they could potentially come into my path because they are looking for a bigger object … not a bicyclist.”
So far this year there have been 10 people hit and killed in and around downtown from being hit by a car. A majority of those have been at crosswalks. 144 others have also been hit but survived. 12 people on bicycles have also been hit but survived.
The new state law restricting No Turn On Red signs doesn’t take effect until July 1st so Indy city leaders could still have passed the proposal this week, but decided against it. Councilors do intend on working on other forms of legislation to address the issue of people being hit by cars downtown.
