Activists Can Ensure Bicycle Lanes are Effective
Laws Regulate Lane Markings, Activists Must Make Sure They are Right
Aug 16, 2008
As more people are looking to bikes as economical, healthy, and environmentally-friendly means for travel, they look for bike lanes because they know the lanes provide a relatively safe zone for travel. However, bicyclists and motorists should understand how they work. Because they are infrequently used, planners and maintenance crews may not be marking them properly. Bicycle activists must educate themselves and bring mistakes to the attention of municipalities.
Solid and Dashed Lines
Whether commuting or running errands, bicyclists should use bike lanes when they are marked on the highways since motorists will expect them to travel inside the solid white line. Motorists should not cross the solid white line.
When the line is dashed, it indicates that motorists may cross into the bike lane when turning right. In fact, when motorists plan to turn right they should completely enter the lane (without cutting in front of a bike, of course) and block bicyclists from passing them on the right. Bicyclists who notice a dashed line should be alert for motorists as they slow down to pull into the bike lane to stop before turning right.
Bicyclists using bike lanes should also be extra careful when crossing driveways and navigating the bike lane rerouting when an addition right turn lane for motorists forms to the right. If there is right turn lane for motorists, bicyclists who are not turning right should stay in the bike lane that is to the right of the straight-through traffic lane.
Bike Lanes are Planned and Painted According to State and Local Law
Bicyclists would like to see more bike lanes … but they can’t paint them on the highways! Bike lane markings must be authorized by the state or local government. When authorized, the work of city planners and road maintenance crews who place the lanes is guided in by state and local regulations for spacing.
An important role for citizens who advocate for more or safer bike lane markings is to check regulatory standards and ensure that they are being followed. Bike lanes are sometimes mismarked by well-intentioned crews who are unfamiliar with bicycle safety.
Federal Government Provides Overarching Guidance
On the federal level, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) refers to bike lane markings in Chapter 9C. As “preferential lanes,” MUTCD requires that they be white. The spacing of markings “is an engineering judgment that is based on the prevailing speed, block lengths, distance from intersections, and other factors that affect clear communication to the road user. Markings spaced as close as 24 m (80 ft) apart might be appropriate on City streets, mile markings spaced 300 m (1,000 ft) might be appropriate for freeways.”
In Portland, Oregon, for example, bike lanes are marked every 1,000 feet or about .189 miles. But in Suffolk, Virginia, where there are fewer bicycle riders, a local regulation requires bicycle lane symbols to be placed a maximum of 500 feet apart for safety purposes.
Also, bicycle lane markings should appear immediately after an intersection. When the right through lane is dropped to become a right turn only lane, the bicycle lane markings should stop at least 100 feet before the beginning of the right turn lane. Through bicycle lane markings should resume to the left of the right turn only lane.
The FHWA provides guidance on materials in MUTCD: “Consideration should be given to selecting pavement marking materials that will minimize loss of traction for bicycles under wet conditions.” Thermoplastic is used more often today than paint. The PreMark © thermoplastic material, for example, is widely used.
Educate All Highway Users About Bike Lanes
In their Bike Lane Design Guide, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center and Chicagoland Bicycle federation make the point that when an area decides to embark on a bike lane marking program it is of utmost importance to educate bicycle and motor vehicle drivers about how bike lanes operated and how they should behave when encountering them.
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