- Most bicyclists prefer bicycle lanes that are physically separated from through lanes. However, dedicated bicycle lanes that are not physical separated also reduce crash potential, lower the risk of bicycles striking the doors of parked cars, and increase motorist awareness of where to expect bicyclists. Design guidelines for conventional bicycle lanes and buffered bicycle lanes follow.
- Conventional Bicycle Lanes
- Preferred bicycle lane width adjacent to a curb — 5 ft.
- Minimum bicycle lane width next to a parking lane — 5 ft. (consider 6 – 7 ft. for narrow parking lanes)
- If the bicycle lane is adjacent to a guardrail or physical barrier, add 2 ft. to the bicycle lane width to provide minimum shy distance from the barrier.
- Use lane markings that are solid white and 6 – 8 in. wide to separate bicycle lanes from motor vehicle lanes.
- Consider adding bicycle lanes at sites where travel lanes are 16 – 18 ft., even if on-street parking is not allowed.
- Buffered Bicycle Lanes
- If the buffer width is ³ 4 ft., mark buffers with two solid white lines and with diagonal hatching or chevron markings. Dashing the buffer boundary where vehicles are expected to cross at driveways is an option.
- Interior diagonal cross hatching should consist of 4 in. lines at a 30 – 45 degree angle and be striped at intervals of 10 – 40 ft. Greater striping frequency increase motorist compliance.
- If there is enough space, consider installing a narrower bicycle lane with a parking-side buffer rather than a wider bicycle lane with no buffer.
- If buffered lanes are next to on-street parking, the minimum recommended lane width is 5 ft. so that bicyclists avoid collisions with parked vehicle doors.
- Another option to accommodate harmonious vehicle-bicycle interactions is road reconfiguration (e.g., reducing the number of lanes from four to three, which opens space on outside lane margins for bicyclists). Additional benefits of lane reductions include lower vehicle speeds as well as fewer multiple threat crashes and sideswipe crashes.
CONTACT:
Chris VanDyke
Research Scientist | Program Manager
chrisvandyke@uky.edu
