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The city of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 is proposing changes to its traffic laws that, if approved by the City Council, would require drivers to stop at crosswalks in an attempt to better protect cyclists and pedestrians.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a good first step,鈥� said Melinda Montoya, whose daughter Kayla VanLandingham, 19, was fatally struck by a driver on Carlisle near Delamar on July 22. 鈥淚 hope they are also able to do adequate enforcement of these laws and educate people about the changes.鈥�

District 7 City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn said VanLandingham鈥檚 death 鈥渨as a real turning point鈥� for her in terms of understanding 鈥渉ow outdated our traffic code is.鈥�

The city鈥檚 proposed ordinance would not only require drivers to stop at crosswalks to ensure bicyclists and pedestrians cross safely, but make it mandatory for drivers to yield while traveling across bikeways and multi-use trails 鈥� one of which VanLandingham was using when she was struck.

The ordinance would also clarify language regarding crosswalks.

鈥淭here are marked and unmarked crosswalks,鈥� City Department of Municipal Development spokesperson Dan Mayfield said in an email. 鈥淪ome are explicitly marked, like at school zones or major intersections. Others aren鈥檛 marked, but under state law they could be considered a crosswalk or maybe not.鈥�

Mayfield continued, 鈥淪o, to clear up that fuzziness and to be explicit, we are making it clear that even unmarked crossing areas, such as a corner in a neighborhood where people cross a street, a flashing yellow light without road hash marks, and HAWK (high-intensity activated crosswalk) signals are all indeed a crosswalk and you must stop for a vulnerable road user trying to cross the street.鈥�

Vulnerable road users include bicyclists, pedestrians and e-scooter riders, he said.

鈥淲e are (at) a crossroads here, literally,鈥� Fiebelkorn said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time to move our traffic code (ordinance) forward. It鈥檚 time to make sure that we protect everyone.鈥�

Regarding penalties, Fiebelkorn said she wants to talk with the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Police Department 鈥渂efore determining that.鈥�

鈥淭here was nothing to cite that person (who killed VanLandingham) with because the law was so vague,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here was no reference to bicyclists. We definitely need to clarify those rules. (The ordinance) is not about punishing people, it鈥檚 about having a safer street and roadway for everybody.鈥�

Tweaks are being made to the ordinance but Fiebelkorn said it will be introduced during a City Council meeting in October.

鈥淲hat we introduce should be a really comprehensive piece of legislation that is in everyone鈥檚 best interest,鈥� she said.

If adopted, the ordinance would be the latest change the city has made in its efforts to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety since VanLandingham鈥檚 death.

In August, the city announced it was adding a new traffic signal at the Hahn Arroyo path crossing where the teen was killed and speed cameras close by.

鈥淭he city has moved very fast (after) her loss and I feel they heard what my concerns were and are taking steps toward addressing them,鈥� Montoya said. 鈥淯nfortunately, (as) my brother-in-law said, a law is changed typically when somebody dies. ... It just breaks my heart that these things could not have happened sooner.

鈥淲e just really need to hold our drivers more accountable because (driving) is a privilege.鈥�