House Transportation committee splits 5-5 on "Idaho stop" amendment; crosswalk change left unresolved

The Vermont House Transportation Committee deadlocked 5-5 Friday on an amendment to the miscellaneous motor vehicles bill that would allow bicyclists to operate differently at some intersections under an "Idaho stop" provision, preventing the change from being added to the bill this year.

The measure, discussed at length during Friday's committee meeting, would let cyclists clear intersections in certain circumstances and includes a related proposal to allow bicyclists to cross with pedestrian crosswalk signals. Supporters pointed to multi-year study and testimony they said showed safety benefits; opponents raised concerns about children, enforcement, rural road geometry and driver confusion.

The amendment sponsor (identified in the meeting transcript as Speaker 2) told the committee that "this has been in front of this committee now for 3 years" and that the committee had solicited testimony, received a DMV report and heard from state agencies and bicycling organizations. The sponsor said testimony came from the "agency of transportation," the Vermont State Police and three statewide bicycling organizations — Locomotion, the State Mountain Bike Association and Kingdom…