RICHMOND, Va. — Lawmakers are back in the office this month, and already they are making a push to prioritize pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Senator Angelia Williams Graves, who represents the 21st District of Norfolk, is working on Senate Bill 1233, which would bring red-light cameras to stop signs.
“Ideally, this will bring down not just fatalities, but it will limit the number of accidents that cause injuries to pedestrians,” Graves said.
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“I think the main thing that I hope is that cities will prioritize the safety of all users of the road,” said Melvin Tendilla of Bike Norfolk.
News 3 last spoke with him when beach police announced an increase in pedestrian and bicyclist-at-fault accidents last year. For Melvin, more enforcement for safety is good, but it must be done right.
“Where we choose to put this new technology should be decided in an equitable way, and that is equally distributed,” he said.
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If passed, the cameras would only be installed in areas where red-light cameras are already approved.
There is also another Senate bill aimed at creating more bicycle, pedestrian, and safety improvements: Senate Bill 1007. Currently, it is set for Northern Virginia.
News 3 spoke to the sponsoring senator, Scott Surovell. He said there is a possibility that Hampton Roads could be added.
