On March 21, the Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 422 with strong bipartisan support. This measure would permit motorcyclists to filter between lanes of traffic on certain Oregon roads when traffic is moving slowly or stopped.
“Lane filtering is a safe and effective practice in other states and countries,” said Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), Co-Chief Sponsor of Senate Bill 422. “By allowing this limited, common-sense practice in Oregon, we can improve traffic flow and reduce the risk to motorcyclists while keeping our roads safer for all.”
Motorcyclists have long argued that lane filtering can improve safety by lowering the risk of rear-end collisions and reduce traffic congestion.
SB 422 would establish guidelines for when and where lane filtering is permitted, including limiting filtering to roads with speed limits of 50 miles per hour with at least two lanes going in the same direction. Lane filtering is still prohibited on the road shoulder, the center line between traffic going in opposite directions or in highway work zones. Traffic must be stopped or going ten miles per hour or less.
SB 422 now moves to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration.
