April 1979 The Bikeway Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

B. Bikeway Bikeway "means a bicycle lane, bicycle path, or bicycle route, or any traffic control device, shelter, parking facility, or other support facility to serve bicycles and persons using bicycles." In an effort to facilitate the different types of bicycle trips, communities throughout the United States and Europe have developed a variety of bikeways. That which has evolved is four generally recognized types of bikeways, each with its inherent advantages and disadvantages. A complete bikeway system will invariably consist of a combination of these four types of bikeways. 1. Bicycle Route --- "Means any highway that is designated to be shared by bicycles and pedestrians or motor vehicles, or both." ( Figure 1 ) The major advantage is that while of the least cost, it encourages the use of certain roads for biking and cautions motorists through signs to expect bikers on those roads. Although the actual safety advantage is questionable, bicycle routes are usually the first step a community takes in response to increased cycling interests. The usual costs include designating streets with signs and paint and the recon- struction of parallel slat storm drains. Important points in assuring the success of bicycle routes are the education of motor vehicle drivers to give ample consideration to bicycle riders, and the selection of routes which directly link major destination points and have ample pavement width. The Statewide Traffic code requires that, "Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter," Procedurally, the bicyclist, "Shall ride as near to the right -hand curb or edge of the roadway as practicable, O ...;" and on one -way roadways with, "two or more marked traffic lanes a person operating a bicycle may ride as near to the left -hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable." STREET OR ROADWAY CAR LANE AND CAR LANE AND BICYCLE ROUTE BICYCLE ROUTE FIG. I BICYCLE ROUTE 7 0.