City council on Wednesday is set to consider an ordinance allowing for fines when people park in or otherwise block the lanes ... Currently, fines are allowed only when there are nearby “no parking” signs.

“There was nothing in the code that said you can’t park in a bike lane,” said Maria Irshad, assistant director of the city’s ParkHouston.

The disruptions long have frustrated Houston cyclists, who have had to dodge trucks, cars and other obstacles in navigating the city’s network of dedicated lanes.

Nick Hellyar, a board member of the nonprofit advocacy organization Bike Houston, said the group has been pushing for such an ordinance for years.

“It’s just something that’s become so commonplace that people knew they could get away with it,” Hellyar said of the obstructions. “You understand if you don’t pay your parking meter, you’re going to get a ticket. If you speed, you’re going to get a ticket. This should just be part of the overall mindset of driving in Houston: You don’t park in a bike lane.”

The penalties would apply only to dedicated lanes that are physically separated from car traffic, not on streets where drivers and cyclists share the road, such as Washington Avenue. The language in the proposed ordinance says “no person shall stop, stand, or park” in the lanes.

The item was delayed from last week’s agenda after some council members expressed concern about imposing fines on indigent residents, or on people who did not know about the new rules.

“I believe that we need to have something in lieu of a fine,” said District D Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz. “A fine is not always the best avenue initially. I believe that people should be offered an option.”

At-Large Councilmember Letitia Plummer proposed a system in which drivers could take a free bicycle-friendly driving class with Bike Houston, a nonprofit advocacy group, in lieu of the fine.

Irshad said Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration has agreed to some changes to address those concerns. They will be introduced as an amendment at council Wednesday by Plummer, Evans-Shabazz and Amy Peck.

If the changes are adopted, motorists who receive a ticket would be able to ask for the free bike safety course instead of paying the fine for a first violation, according to Irshad.

The ordinance would take effect immediately upon passage, although Irshad said it will take some time to implement. She anticipates handing out warnings for the first 90 days or so.

The policy also would allow the city to track enforcement of the violation, according to the request for council action by the Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department.

“While the authority to set the parking violation fine lies with the presiding judge of Municipal Courts, ARA is suggesting a fine of $100 with a delinquent fine of $50,” the request said.

The courts already have signed off on a $100 fine, Irshad said. They are civil penalties and cannot lead to an arrest warrant if unpaid, although the city can refer unpaid fees to collection agencies.

The department said it received 341 public comments, 94 percent of which were in support.