As reported in the Cleveland Scene, a new bill could mandate that motorists maintain at least three feet of separation between their vehicles and any bicycles they attempt to pass.

Ohio House Bill 154, which was approved by the Ohio House of Representatives on May 24, 2016, states that “When a motor vehicle or trackless trolley overtakes and passes a bicycle, the safe passing distance to the left shall be not less than three feet.” The bill would also allow cyclists to pass through a red light after yielding to all cross traffic, in cases of the “failure of a vehicle detector to detect” the bicycle’s presence.

As Greater Cincinnati sees a significant increase in the number of cyclists on the road, the challenge of safely sharing roadways without impeding automobile traffic has received a great deal of attention. The bill must be approved by the Senate and signed into law by the Governor before the end of the year in order to take effect.