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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation on |
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traffic collisions involving persons operating bicycles, electric |
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bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Bicycle" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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541.201, Transportation Code. |
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(2) "Bicycle lane" means a designated lane or other |
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part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles. |
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(3) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
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Transportation. |
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(4) "Electric bicycle" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 664.001, Transportation Code. |
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(5) "Motor-assisted scooter" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 551.351, Transportation Code. |
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SECTION 2. STUDY ON BICYCLE LANES. (a) The department, in |
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consultation with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, shall |
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study the extent to which the availability of bicycle lanes reduces |
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the rate of traffic collisions involving persons operating |
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bicycles, electric bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters. |
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(b) In conducting the study, the department shall: |
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(1) examine collision reports received by the |
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department and any other relevant information available to the |
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department and compile the following information about traffic |
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collisions involving persons operating bicycles, electric |
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bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters in this state: |
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(A) demographic data of persons suffering injury |
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or death; |
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(B) geographic areas in which collisions |
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occurred and the population density of those areas; |
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(C) times of day of collisions; |
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(D) causes of collisions; and |
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(E) whether collisions occurred in bicycle |
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lanes; and |
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(2) analyze whether the information demonstrates that |
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the availability of bicycle lanes reduces the rate of traffic |
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collisions involving persons operating bicycles, electric |
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bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters. |
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(c) Not later than January 1, 2027, the department shall |
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submit to the legislature a report on the findings of the study |
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conducted under this section. The report must also include: |
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(1) information on the availability of bicycle lanes |
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throughout this state; |
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(2) recommendations on roadway lane designations and |
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layouts that reduce traffic collisions involving persons operating |
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bicycles, electric bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters; and |
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(3) a discussion of whether the inclusion of any |
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additional information in collision reports described by Chapter |
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550, Transportation Code, would facilitate future analysis of |
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traffic collisions inside and outside bike lanes involving persons |
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operating bicycles, electric bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters. |
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SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires February 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2025. |