1. Publication No. FHWA-HRT-05-114 Bicycle Lanes Lesson 15

2. Lesson Outline • Width standards. • Retrofitting lanes on existing streets. • Design at intersections and interchanges. • Pavement marking and signing. • Other design considerations. • Practices to avoid.

3. Width Standards • No curb and gutter: 1.2 meters (m) (4 feet (ft)) min. • If parking, then 1.5 m (5 ft) min. • With curb and gutter: 1.5 m (5 ft) min. • 0.9 m (3 ft) min. ridable surface, not including gutter pan. • Parking permitted but not striped: • 3.3 m (11 ft) total with no curb. • 3.5 m (12 ft) total with curb.

4. Retrofitting Bike Lanes Typical “Road Diet” • Reduce travel lane widths. • Reduce number of travel lanes. • Remove, narrow, or reconfigure parking. • Other design options.

5. Road Diet Before After

6. Bike Lanes at Intersections • Encourage crossing/merging in advance of intersection. • Use of broken lane stripe at bus stops and intersections. • Many possible configurations. • Avoid dual right-turn lanes if possible.

7. Bike Lanes at Interchanges • Cross high-speed ramps in areas of good visibility. • Cross ramps at right angle. • Consider grade separation.

8. Pavement Markings Bike lane symbols • Edgeline lane markings. • Bike lane symbols. • Traffic signal detector placement. • Obstructions.

9. Regulatory signs Signing • Use of MUTCD. • Consistency in shape, legend, color. • Regulatory signs. • Warning signs. • Route guide signs.

10. Colored Bike Lanes • Common in Europe. • Delineate the preferred paths through complex intersections or across high-speed ramps. • Tested in Portland, OR, with mixed results.

11. Contraflow Bike Lanes • Prevent circuitous travel on one-way streets. • High bike demand. • Warning signs at intersecting alleys and streets. (This picture shows a bicyclist not wearing a helmet. FHWA strongly recommends that all bicyclists wear helmets.)

12. Practices to Avoid • Two-way bike lanes. • Continuous right-turn lanes.

13. Lesson Summary • There are many ways to design for bicycle lanes on vehicular roadways. • Use of specific design elements create safe and efficient bicycle lanes.