It’s a green light for cyclists to run red lights.
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a bill that would allow bike riders to follow pedestrian walk signs rather than vehicle traffic lights.
The legislation, which zoomed through the council’s Transportation Committee Monday and could go into effect as soon as November, would give pedal-pushers a brief head start on cars at intersections.
Riders say the change will keep them safer in traffic — but critics say it could spark chaos and offer a tacit endorsement of scofflaw cyclists who already ignore red lights.
“This law would make it very chaotic,” said Mamun Mohammad, a yellow-cab driver from Queens. “The streets are already crowded with cars, Ubers, people and the bikes. They already don’t pay attention to the lights, and this is the city saying that’s OK.”
Councilman Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park), who sponsored the bill, noted that a yearlong study into the proposal yielded “real data” showing fewer riders get injured when cyclists make use of the lag time.
At 50 intersections where cyclists were allowed to follow pedestrian signals last year, the Department of Transportation recorded 55 traffic injuries — compared with 72 when they had to follow traffic lights.
“It will definitely help with safety,” said Ahmed Abdalhameed, a 28-year-old manager of the Lower East Side rental company Unlimited Biking. “In New York, most of the bike lanes are in the road, not separate from the cars, so bikers need it.”
Cyclists are still supposed to give way to pedestrians under the new law, although critics worry it will nevertheless put walkers in danger.
“Instead of reducing the potential for dangerous conflict between cyclists and pedestrians, this bill will place pedestrians directly in the path of turning cyclists,” said Councilman Kalman Yeger (D-Borough Park).
“We should be looking for ways to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe,” Yeger complained. “This bill will do the opposite. There’s a reason the city designed a head start for pedestrians, and now the council is taking it away. Very shortsighted.”
A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio said Hizzoner supports the legislation.
Fifteen cyclists have died on the city’s streets this year — compared with seven by July of last year, records show.
Additional reporting by Haley Lerner