The 2026 Virginia General Assembly session delivered both encouraging progress and a disappointing setback for bicyclist safety.
After months of advocacy and strong bipartisan support, Delegate Willett’s bicyclist safety omnibus bill (HB661) — the bill that would have brought the Safety Yield, Proceed on Walk Signal, and Riding Two Abreast updates to Virginia — was unexpectedly tabled by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on March 6.
This outcome was a surprise. HB661 had already passed the House unanimously and cleared the Senate Transportation Committee with a strong bipartisan vote of 13–1. After that momentum, many advocates expected the bill to move forward.
While we are still trying to understand why the bill became suddenly unpalatable at such a late stage, one thing is clear: we have made real progress. Each year, support for these safety improvements has grown, and the strong votes this year provide a foundation we can build on in future sessions.
A Huge Thank You to Our Advocacy Partners
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who contacted legislators during this session.
Your emails, phone calls, and personal stories made a difference. The unanimous House vote and the overwhelming support in the Senate Transportation Committee would not have happened without riders speaking up.
We also want to extend special thanks to two organizations that worked tirelessly throughout the session:
- The Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) for their leadership in Richmond, coordination with legislators, and detailed tracking of bill developments.
- The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) for mobilizing riders across the region and helping amplify the call for safer laws.
Together with advocates across the Commonwealth, we are continuing to demonstrate the growing strength of Virginia’s bicycling movement.
Please Thank the Senators Who Supported HB661
Although the bill ultimately stalled in Senate Finance, 13 Senators voted to advance HB661 in the Senate Transportation Committee. If your Senator was among those who supported the bill, please take a moment to thank them for standing up for bicyclist safety.
For Fairfax-area riders, that includes Senator David Marsden and Senator Jennifer Boysko.
Positive feedback matters. Legislators should hear that their support for safer roads is appreciated.
Two Important Bike Bills Are Heading to the Governor
While HB661 fell short this year, two bills supported by bicycling advocates did successfully pass both chambers and now head to the Governor’s desk. Delegate David Carr’s HB812 Bicycle Signal Faces bill enables VDOT to install bicycle signal faces where appropriate, helping communities design safer and clearer intersections for people riding bikes. Delegate JJ Singh’s HB1120 E-Bike and E-Moto Safety Workgroup bill creates a DMV-led workgroup to develop recommendations for improving e-bike and e-moto safety, an important step as these devices become increasingly common on roads and trails.
The Work Continues
Although HB661 did not cross the finish line this year, the strong bipartisan support it received shows that Virginia is getting closer to adopting modern, evidence-based bicycling safety laws. Safety Yield, Proceed on Walk Signal, and Riding Two Abreast will remain top legislative priorities moving forward.
And thanks to the advocacy of riders like you, lawmakers now know that these changes matter.
We may not have achieved everything we hoped for this year — but together we are building the momentum that will make safer streets a reality across Virginia.
Thank you for being part of that effort.
Want to do more to help make bicycling better? Contact us at [email protected].
