New transportation law: Bicycling changes, DVS employee protection

Nov 22, 2023

By Staff | on August 04, 2023

Bicyclists won’t have to completely halt their progress at all stop signs beginning August 1, 2023. Per the transportation finance and policy law, “a bicycle operator who approaches a stop sign must slow to a speed that allows for stopping before entering the intersection or the nearest crosswalk. …If there is not a vehicle in the vicinity, the operator may make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping.”

Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Mpls.) and Sen. D. Scott Dibble (DFL-Mpls.) sponsored the law that contains other bicycle-related changes, including: • designating the Mississippi River Trail Bikeway as a state bicycle route; • the Jim Oberstar Bikeway, between St. Paul and the Canadian border, is designated as a state bicycle route; • institutes riding rules for a bicyclist on a road to ride as close to the righthand curb or edge of the road as the bicyclist deems safe; • a bicyclist can turn right from the left side of dedicated right hand turn lane; and • each district must provide public school students in grades K-8 with age-appropriate active transportation safety training. For all ages, the training must minimally include pedestrian safety, including crossing roads. For grades four through eight, training must include, at a minimum, “pedestrian safety, including crossing roads safely using the searching left, right, left for vehicles in traffic technique; and bicycle safety, including relevant traffic laws, use and proper fit of protective headgear, bicycle parts and safety features, and safe biking techniques.”

The Department of Transportation must maintain a “comprehensive collection of active transportation safety training materials that meets the requirements.” A criminal penalty is created for obstructing an employee of the Driver and Vehicle Services Division, a deputy registrar, or a driver’s license agent in their performance of duties. The penalty ranges from a misdemeanor to a felony depending on the circumstances. Peace officers, firefighters and ambulance crews are already covered by such a law.

Other provisions in the law that took effect August 1, 2023, include: • further clarifying it is illegal to hold a cell phone while driving; • creation of a special permit type to allow for overweight and over-width transport of raw or unfinished forest products; • centralizing and creating new requirements for towing and recovery vehicle weight limits; • MnDOT is to create a statewide electric vehicle infrastructure program “for the purpose of implementing the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and successor programs to maximize the use of federal funds available to the state”; and • establishing eligibility for driver’s license reinstatement for individuals whose license was suspended for violations that, due to a 2021 change, are no longer grounds for suspension.

HF2887*/SF3157/CH68

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