Anchorage Assembly revises laws for bicyclists and other non-motorized road users, but keeps youth helmet requirement

The Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday approved an overhaul to the city’s rules for bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized roadway users in an effort to improve safety, and to set the stage for changing city infrastructure to be friendlier for multiple types of transportation.

The measure will go into effect in early October, 60 days from its passage. Key changes include:

• Jaywalking will be decriminalized for pedestrians, with associated fines revoked.

• An “Anchorage stop,” or stop-as-yield rule for cyclists. This allows riders to treat stop signs as yield signs. Bicyclists will no longer be required to come to a full stop if they can proceed through the intersection safely. Data from other states and cities with similar rules indicates that this improves safety for people riding bikes.

• A new “dead red” rule. Bicyclists will be able to treat red lights as stop signs, because most traffic signals in Anchorage detect cars at intersections, triggering a light change — but most don’t pick up on bicyclists who are stuck waiting for a light to change. Cyclists will be required to yield right of way to other roadway users like pedestrians who are in an adjacent crosswalk and to any vehicle traveling in a lane with a green light.

• The measure also revokes penalties for bicyclists riding without equipment like lights, brakes and noise signals. However, children 15 and under are still required to wear helmets and the associated $25 penalty for second-time violations remains in place.

[Anchorage Assembly proposal aims to lay groundwork for a more bike-friendly city]

Members in a 9-2 vote passed the measure, which was sponsored by Daniel Volland, Anna Brawley and Karen Bronga. Zac Johnson was not present and members Scott Myers and Randy Sulte voted against it. Sulte had proposed keeping several fines in place.

As the city continues to build out a “high safety, high comfort” bicycle network, it should evaluate its rules and consider how they are enforced or if they should be enforced at all, Volland said.

“How are we creating accessibility for all of Anchorage in order to safely use non-motorized travel?” he said, emphasizing that the measure is about “transportation choice.”

“This is not about cars versus bikes or cars versus pedestrians,” Volland said. “This is about, you should be able to choose your method of navigating our city safely.”

Mayor Dave Bronson voiced support for the legislation during his opening comments at the meeting, saying he is encouraged that safety has improved in states that have implemented elements of the measure such as stop-as-yield laws.

“I am an avid bicyclist in support of improving safety and making our streets more accessible to all road users. I believe this AO would help make Anchorage more friendly to all road users,” Bronson said.

Members made a few changes to the ordinance before approving it. They kept in place the law requiring bicyclists age 15 and under to wear helmets, instead of revoking the requirement as initially proposed.

Assembly members said several community members, including state Sen. Löki Tobin, pushed back on the idea. Tobin, in an email to members, cited an epidemiology report that between 2016 and 2021 Alaska had the highest rate of traumatic brain injury-related deaths in the nation.

Assembly members concerned about removing the helmet requirement also pointed to a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finding helmet laws for youth reduce traumatic brain injuries and deaths.

Volland and Brawley urged members to revoke the fine but keep the rule, but several other members dissented.

“I think of my 14-year-old, and my 14-year-old would say, ‘No penalty, no rule,’” member George Martinez said.

A move from Chair Christopher Constant to also keep rules and fines in place for bicycle lights failed in a narrow vote.