U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH) on Nov. 21 offered a bipartisan bill that would direct the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to reauthorize the federal Motorcyclist Advisory Council.
Rep. Balderson is an original lead cosponsor of the Motorcycle Advisory Council Reauthorization Act, H.R. 5234, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and cosponsors including U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) to outline operations for and extend the Motorcycle Advisory Council (MAC) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for six years.
“As a rider, I know how important communication is between those who ride and those who design the roads we ride on,” said Rep. Balderson, who serves on the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus. “From a 30,000-foot perspective, you may not understand how things like left turns and guardrails impact motorcyclists, but they’re what I notice each time my fellow riders and I hit Ohio’s roads.”
MAC was first authorized by law in 2015, but had no defined timetable. After producing one report, MAC ceased functions, according to information provided by Rep. Balderson’s office.
If enacted, H.R. 5234 would set a six-year timeline for MAC’s operation and would require the council to submit reports to DOT every two years. DOT then would have 60 days to review the council’s recommendations and submit a report to Congress, according to the information.
The bill also would clarify the membership of MAC, which would include five highway engineering experts from state or local governments; one state or local traffic safety engineer who is a motorcyclist; one roadway safety data expert on crash testing and analysis; and one representative chosen from among several national motorcyclists organizations, according to the bill’s text.
“With the number of motorcycles currently on the road, it is critical that the road designers and transportation engineers understand the way that motorcycles and motorcyclists interact with the roadways, as well as other vehicles using those same roads,” said Ed Schetter, state executive director of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) of Ohio Inc., who added that ABATE supports H.R. 5234.
“Motorcyclists need to be present to help recognize those needs and ensure that motorcycles maintain their place on the road and can be safely operated into a future where technology is creating more and more challenges,” Schetter added.