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HD 1806

An Act to improve pedestrian safety

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Colleen Garry and 4 co-sponsors

The bill requires adjusting crosswalk signal timing to accommodate slower-moving pedestrians (elderly, disabled, or those transporting others) at identified locations.

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Bill Summary · HD 1806

Summary of House Docket No. HD 1806 — An Act to Improve Pedestrian Safety

Status: Proposed bill
Introduced: November 29, 2025
Classification: Proposed bill

Purpose and intent

This bill seeks to enhance pedestrian safety by ensuring crosswalk timing accounts for pedestrians who move more slowly, use mobility aids, or are transporting/assisting others. It directs state and local transportation authorities to identify locations where slower-walking pedestrians are common and to adjust signal timing to allow safer completion of crossings.

Key provisions

  • Section 1: Pedestrian clearance time and local planning

    • Amends Chapter 85, Section 2, by inserting language after the word “prohibited” that the department’s manual must acknowledge slower pedestrians.
    • The manual should specify that pedestrians who walk slower, use mobility aids, or who move more slowly due to transporting or assisting another person should be considered when determining pedestrian clearance time.
    • The department must promulgate regulations directing municipalities to:
    • (a) Create a list of locations within their boundaries that are heavily used by pedestrians likely to have slower walking speeds (due to age, mobility issues, or transporting/assisting/conveying another person) in signalized crosswalks.
    • (b) Require that at locations on this list with regularly used signalized crosswalks, signal timing accounts for slower speeds by adjusting walk clearance times to a reasonable degree to allow safe completion of the crossing.

  • Section 2: Implementation timeline

    • The administrator of the department of highways must promulgate implementing regulations for Section 1 no later than January 1, 2026.
    • Municipalities must be in compliance with these regulations no later than January 1, 2027.

Who is affected

  • Pedestrians, especially:
    • Older adults
    • Individuals with mobility impairments or disabilities
    • People transporting or assisting others (e.g., caregivers, parents with children)
  • Municipal transportation departments and traffic engineers responsible for signal timing at crosswalks
  • State transportation department (referred to as the department of highways in the text)

Implementation and potential impact

  • Implementation:

    • Requires creation of municipal lists identifying high-traffic, slower-walking crosswalk locations.
    • Requires adjustment of walk signal clearance times at those locations to accommodate slower pedestrians.
    • Requires formal regulations from the state department of highways by 2026, with full municipal compliance by 2027.

  • Potential impact:

    • Increased safety and crossing “success” rates for vulnerable pedestrians.
    • Potentially longer pedestrian phases at certain intersections, which could affect traffic flow and vehicle signaling.
    • Additional regulatory and planning requirements for municipalities, including data collection and signal timing updates.

Additional notes

  • The bill is currently described as a proposed measure (HD 1806) introduced in late 2025.
  • If enacted, expected to guide changes in both state regulatory guidance and local traffic signal practices to prioritize safer pedestrian crossings for slower-moving individuals.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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