Letter: Stop Sign Cameras in Maryland

Maryland needs to allow local jurisdictions to install stop sign cameras.

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HB0367: Vehicle Laws - Stop Sign Monitoring Systems - Authorization

HB0367: Vehicle Laws - Stop Sign Monitoring Systems - Authorization Environment and Transportation Committee
Washington Area Bicyclist Association – FAVORABLE

February 14, 2023
Chair Barve and members of the Environment and Transportation Committee,

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is an advocacy organization with 1,300 Maryland members and many other Maryland supporters and partners. My name is Seth Grimes, WABA’s Maryland organizer, testifying on behalf of the organization.

WABA supports HB0367, which would authorize a local jurisdiction to install a Stop sign monitoring system. Net penalty revenues would be directed to complete-streets or pedestrian-safety programs. The bill directs that penalties be instituted in proportion to the offending vehicle owner’s or driver’s income.

Stop sign monitoring systems would boost compliance with traffic-safety laws and signage. Installation of a camera at an intersection would improve pedestrian, bicyclist, and traffic safety at the intersection.

Jurisdictions would benefit from an additional revenue source for much-needed complete streets and pedestrian safety programs, which aim to improve transportation infrastructure and conditions. These programs are designated to receive net penalty revenue.

And current, fixed penalties have a disparate financial impact on offenders. They more significantly penalize lower-income community members and are therefore inequitable. Income-conditioned penalties would be more equitable than current, fixed penalties.

For these reasons, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association supports HB0367. We urge a Favorable committee report and House of Delegates floor vote.

Seth Grimes, Maryland organizer Washington Area Bicyclist Association seth.grimes@waba.org

HB0367

More about Maryland Legislation

WABA develops and advocates for state legislation to make bicycling in Maryland safer and more accessible and for state funding to expand Maryland’s bicycle network, working directly with legislators and Maryland Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) leadership and as part of the Bike Maryland coalition. We also work on broader road-safety, transit, and environmental legislation and funding, typically as part of larger statewide coalitions. The annual Maryland legislative session runs from January to April, but our work developing legislation starts the preceding summer.

We’re thrilled that several bills we worked on or supported were enacted in 2024, directing an MDOT Vision Zero Coordinator and public review process; the Better Bus Service Act, allowing bus-lane enforcement cameras (with bikes allowed); authorizing stop-sign cameras near schools in Prince George's County; and the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Memorial Act, addressing penalties for hitting a cyclist in a bike lane.

Our 2024 advocacy included unsuccessful efforts that we will likely pursue in future years. (It often takes years to pass a bill. ) These include a Great Maryland Trails Act, an E-bike Rebate and Voucher Program bill, and a bill addressing maintenance responsibility for sidewalks and bike paths along state roads. Another topic on our list for 2025 is contributory negligence, a prejudicial statute that says that if a crash victim is even only 1% at fault, then they are liable and may not recover (full) costs and damages from the party largely at fault.

More about Laws & Policy

WABA works with grassroots advocates at the local, county and state level to support laws and policies that make it easier and safer to walk, bike, and take transit. And we work to changes ones that make biking less safe, make it harder to build bike infrastructure, or that deprioritize the safety and convenience of people walking, biking, or taking transit.

In practice that means advocating for robust and transformative Vision Zero programs, enforceable Complete Streets policies, and funding for new infrastructure that supports biking, walking and transit.

Other regional legislative priorities include:

Reforming Contributory Negligence (passed in DC, in the works in Maryland and Virginia).
Getting rid of the Level of Service engineering standards in transportation decision-making.
Funding E-bike purchase rebates.

More about Advocacy

WABA fights for a region where biking, walking and transit are the best ways to get around.

We educate policymakers and organize grassroots advocates for to speak up for safer places to bike and walk; and for laws and policies that protect people who are walking and biking, reduce dangerous driving, and facilitate changes to the built environment.