Fact Sheet: Bikes Proceed on Walk Signal

Fact sheet prepared by the Virginia Bicycling Federation ahead of the 2026 General Assembly session.

You can view this document in PDF form here.

OVERVIEW

Current law allows a person bicycling in a crosswalk to proceed on a walk signal; this legislation extends applicability to a person bicycling using a bike lane or travel lane.

Reasons to support

Improves the safety of people bicycling. Where installed, Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) allow people in a crosswalk to start walking 3-7 seconds earlier than drivers heading in the same direction, giving people a head start for better visibility and improved yielding from turning drivers.
- The Federal Highway Administration found that LPIs lead to a 13% average safety benefit.
- The National Association of City Transportation Officials found up to 60% safety improvement and recommended this safety measure for bicyclists.
- This legislation extends applicability to a person bicycling in a bike lane or travel lane.
- Does not negate a bicyclist’s responsibility to yield to pedestrians and to other traffic before crossing an intersection.
Improves safety and comfort for pedestrians by removing the current incentive for people bicycling to use crosswalks and sidewalks.
Addresses technical input from VDOT staff, including the following:
- Requires yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians within a crosswalk.
- Does not apply to a person on a bicycle turning left, i.e. only to a bicyclist proceeding straight or turning right.
- Applicable to intersections with an “All-walk” phase.Requires yielding to pedestrians in any crosswalk and to vehicles approaching from the right.
Legal in Washington DC (since 2013), in New York City (since 2019, after a successful pilot study in 2018), California (2024) and Vermont (2026).
See: How California’`s New Pedestrian Signal Law Makes Biking Safer

Proceed on Walk Signal Fact Sheet

Problem to be solved

Virginia law currently allows a person bicycling within a crosswalk to proceed on a walk signal. However, people bicycling in bike lanes or in travel lanes are not permitted to use the walk signal. As a result, they do not receive the same early-start safety benefits that pedestrians receive at intersections with Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs), despite facing similar risks of being struck. This inconsistency reduces safety and encourages cyclists to enter the crosswalk simply to legally proceed on the walk signal.

This legislation improves safety for people bicycling by allowing them to proceed on a walk signal when they are traveling in a bike lane or a travel lane, not just when they are in a crosswalk. Where an LPI is installed, this gives bicyclists a short head start at intersections, improving visibility and reducing turning conflicts with drivers.

The bill maintains all existing responsibilities for bicyclists to yield to pedestrians and other traffic before entering the intersection.

Why is allowing a person on bicycles to use a pedestrian walk signal safer?

Allows the person to have a head start for greater visibility to drivers.
Improves safety and comfort for pedestrians by removing the current incentive for people bicycling to use crosswalks and sidewalks.
See: How California’s New Pedestrian Signal Law Makes Biking Safer

Shouldn’t a Red Traffic Signal mean stop for every road user?

Virginia Code already includes an exception that allows certain road users to proceed through a red light in certain circumstances. This bill would create a 2^nd exception for people on bicycles and other devices.
The proven safety benefits of Leading Pedestrian Intervals for pedestrians, combined with the decade of experience in Washington DC indicate that the safety benefits warrant an exception to the general rule.
Treating bikes like cars is outdated.
- Cyclists are closer in size, speed, and sensory experience to pedestrians than to motor vehicles.
- They share the road but not the advantages of steel armor, airbags, or engine power.
- In collisions, they absorb the impact with their bodies.

Is the “Bikes Proceed on Walk Signal” applicable to mopeds?

No. While VA Code Section 46.2-833 B provides an exception more broadly for motorcycles and mopeds to proceed on a red light, subsection B.2 is NOT applicable to motorcycles and mopeds.

Who has right-of-way at an intersection with an All-Walk Phase?

The proposed legislation requires that a person on a bicycle (or other device) yield to pedestrians in any crosswalk.
If multiple people on a bicycle or another device were approaching an intersection from different directions with an “All-Walk” phase, they would yield to vehicles approaching from the right.

Why does the legislation not mention “Leading Pedestrian Interval” since that is the intended purpose?

LPI Intersections are not marked as such, so a person on a bike may or may not know that the walk signal will occur early, e.g. is an LPI. As a result, the proposed language does not require advance knowledge that the walk signal is an LPI.

How common are LPIs in Virginia?

VDOT staff has indicated that there is an increasing number of LPI on VDOT maintained roadways, with 350 LPI intersections as of 2023.

How is Proceeding on a Walk Signal different or better than using Bicycle Signal Faces?

Bicycle Signal Faces require procurement and installation funding, which limit their use. Enabling people on bicycles to proceed based on pedestrian walk signals that are already installed does not have a financial impact.

What studies have been done?

In 2018, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) conducted a seven-month pilot to allow cyclists to follow LPIs at 50 designated intersections
The pilot report recommended that cyclists be permitted to follow the pedestrian walk signal citywide provided that cyclists continue to yield to all pedestrians.

How has this bill been coordinated with VDOT?

VBF coordinated draft language with VDOT in 2023 for the 2024 General Assembly session, The current draft incorporates provisions that addressed VDOT’s engineering and technical concerns with an earlier draft bill. The current draft:
- Requires yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians within a crosswalk.
- Does not apply to a person on a bicycle turning left, i.e. only to a bicyclist proceeding straight or turning right.
- Applicable to intersections with an “All-walk” phase.Requires yielding to pedestrians in any crosswalk and to vehicles approaching from the right.

Has the Virginia General Assembly considered this bill before?

Yes. Delegate Sullivan’s 2024 HB657 (Bikes Proceed on Walk Signal) passed the House 56Y-42N, but failed in Senate Transportation.

More about Virginia Legislation

Virginia's legislative sessions are brief and hectic. Over the course of the year, WABA works with a variety of partners including the Virginia Bicycling Federation to build support for bike-friendly legislation, as well as funding for trails and street safety improvements.

Past victories include law requiring drivers to pass bicyclists with at least three feet of space, allowing bicycles on VRE Trains, and funding for the Long Bridge bike and pedestrian crossing over the Potomac River. Current priorities include legalizing the Bicycle Stop-as-Yield, an e-bike purchase incentive program, and allowing bicyclists to proceed on the Leading Pedestrian Interval at stop lights.

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.