Battle over ban on rights on red lights in downtown Indianapolis returns to the Statehouse

The battle over Indianapolis’ no-turn-on-red law is back.

The state vs. local government tete-a-tete features the City-County Council, which over the summer put up signs prohibiting right turns on red at downtown intersections in an attempt to improve pedestrian safety, and the city’s Republican state Sen. Aaron Freeman, who has called the measure “stupid” and part of a “war on cars.”

In April, soon after the Democrat-led City-County Council began considering the idea, Freeman tacked language onto a vehicle bill that would bar the council from passing such an ordinance.

The council initially thought that was the end. Then in June they decided to act after all, realizing that the text of the bill implied the prohibition wouldn’t take effect until July 1.

So at their June meeting, councilors took advantage of that loophole and passed the ordinance.

Now, in a new bill filed for the 2024 legislative session, Freeman is proposing the state retroactively nullify the city’s ordinance.

Senate Bill 108 would add language to existing law saying that any ordinance adopted by a consolidated city between Dec. 31, 2022, and July 1, 2023, is void. If the bill passes, the city would have to allow right turns on red once more and take down the existing signs.

Currently the signs are at downtown intersections within the boundaries of 11th Street, Oscar Robertson Boulevard, 10th Street, White River Parkway West Drive, Interstate I-70 and Interstate I-65.

This is the latest iteration in the tug-of-war over local control, specifically in Indianapolis. State lawmakers have also preventing the city from cracking down on bad landlords and tried to prevent IndyGo from expanding transit lines. The transit fight returns this session, too, with another bill from Freeman attempting to ban the use of dedicated bus lanes for the Blue Line along Washington Street ― a measure that would put the project in jeopardy.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17.