Shared Lane Markingsaka “Sharrows”

Nick KittlePublic Works Team Leader

Informal City CouncilApril 25th, 2011

Shared Lane Markings

The “Sharrow”• Roadway Pavement Marking • Reinforce State Law• Do Not Designate Bike Lane• Relatively New• Manual of Uniform Traffic Control

Devices• Provides Guidance to Both Bicyclists

and Drivers

Creating Expectations

Purpose• Alerts motorists where bicyclists

are supposed to be when sharing the travel lane

• Reinforce State Law• Guide bicyclists where to ride

when sharing the travel lane• Supports both driver and bicyclist

expectations of where each will be positioned in order to safely pass

Share The Road

It Does:• Reinforce current State law• Provides Law Enforcement a clear

demarcation to help enforce the law• Raise the awareness that motorists

and bicyclists are supposed to share the road

It Doesn’t:• Mean the bicyclist must take the whole lane• Mean that motorists may not pass• Mean bicyclists should lessen their

awareness of their surroundings• Replace designated bicycle lanes or create

designated bicycle lanes

Appropriate Routes

Route Selection• Installed on roadways with posted speeds of 35 mph or

less only• Placed on roadways where gaps in the bike system exist• Placed on roadways where increased awareness would

be beneficial• Placed to encourage proper cycling, vehicular and

pedestrian interactions• Placed on roadways where travel lanes are too narrow

to install dedicated bike lanes

Sharrow History• First Shared Lane Marking designs

developed in Denver, San Francisco – mid- to late 1990s

• Approved experiments conducted in California, results led to Shared Lane Marking approval in CA first – 2004

• Testing conducted in various U.S. cities for possible national approval (Chicago, Ft. Collins, etc.) – 2006 – 2008

• Marking included in draft MUTCD update; extensive comment period offered but no comments against use – 2007 - 2009

• Marking approved for national use (MUTCD) – Dec. 2009

Success• Results of Shared Lane Marking testing

showed:– Over 90% of bicyclists on the test

facility properly place over the symbol– Decrease in evasive maneuvers

between vehicles and bicyclists– Increased distance between bicyclists

and parked cars– Increased distance between motorists

when passing bicyclists– Fewer bicyclists riding the wrong way

on the road– Fewer bicyclists riding on the sidewalk

How to Operate Around SLMsBICYCLING DRIVING

• Line up with the center of the shared lane marking for better lane positioning

• Do not make left turns from the right lane or right side of the travel lane

• Do not ride against the flow of traffic – always ride with traffic

• Do not weave in and out of parked cars

• Do not pass stopped vehicles on the right side

• Wait until you can provide at least 3’ of passing space

• Consider slowing down a little when passing

• Do not honk your horn when passing a bicyclist

How to Operate Around SLMs

Sharrow Facts

“Sharrow” Education• Bicyclists are supposed to ride at

the point of the arrows• The point of the arrow is 4’ off the

side of a travel lane or; • 11’ from a curb with on-street

parking• Places the bicyclist to the right of

a traveled area• Provides minimum 3’ clear zone

from parked cars

Adopted City Process Underway2007 to Present

• Information provided starting in 2007• Share the Road Grant (CDOT)

– One of two communities selected in the State– 17 different agencies invited to participate– Bicycle Advisory Committee recommendation– Citizens Transportation Advisory Board supported

• Education/General Public Communication• Media Campaign• Bike Month Exposure

Implementation Plan

Implementation• Commence Education and Media

Campaign• Install prior to Bike Month• Find an “ideal” location to educate

the public first with accompanying media campaign

• Target Dates:– May 9th first location– May 16th 30th Street– May 23rd Pikes Peak/ Colorado

Proposed Shared Lane Markings Projects

• 30th Street Corridor– W. Colorado Avenue to Centennial Blvd.– Recommended as a pilot corridor by CTAB’s

Bicycle Advisory Subcommittee (BAC)– Frequently used by bicyclists now due to

limited parallel corridors and several major attractors along corridor

– Connects with Centennial Blvd. bicycle lanes and planned Uintah St. bicycle lanes/route (late 2011 construction anticipated)

– Made Possible Through CDOT grant and Bike Tax Funding

Proposed Shared Lane Markings Projects

• Hancock/Pikes Peak/W. Colorado – Connects Memorial Park/Velodrome, Downtown to west side of

Colorado Springs – popular cycling areas– Recommended as another pilot corridor by newly elected

Councilman Leigh who is privately fundraising• Intersects with

several existing and planned bicycle routes / lanes

• Regular use by bicyclists currently; concern about poor bicycling and motorists behaviors

Proposed Shared Lane Markings Projects

• Hancock/Pikes Peak/W. Colorado – Connects Memorial Park/Velodrome, Downtown to west side of

Colorado Springs – popular cycling areas– Recommended as another pilot corridor by newly elected

Councilman Leigh who is privately fundraising• City Contribution is

equipment and labor for proper installation

• Creates choices for transportation

• Several sections are ideal and all are acceptable

Cyclist Behavior on Colorado

QUESTIONS?

Proposed Shared Lane Markings Projects

• Other 2011 Proposed Locations to Fill Gaps– Chelton Rd. bicycle lane intersection/segment gaps– E. Bijou Street bicycle lane intersection/segment gaps– Acacia Dr./Meadow Lane – frequently used segment– Cresta Rd./ 21st St. bicycle lanes – intersection and segment

gaps– Meadowridge Dr. bicycle lane intersection/segment gaps– Cache La Poudre bicycle lane – segment gaps– W. Uintah St. bicycle lane intersection/segment gaps– Tejon Street – bicycle lane gaps; sections with diagonal

parking

Sharrow Tests-Cambridge, MA

• http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/pedbike/10044/10044.pdf

Overall results from Cambridge, MA, indicatethe following:• A total of 94 percent of bicyclists rodeover the sharrows.• There was more operating space forbicycles as motor vehicle spacing fromparked motor vehicles increased.• A number of variables related to theoperations of bicycles and motor vehiclesshowed positive effects.

• A total of 94 percent of the bicyclists rode over the shared lane marking.• The percentage of bicyclists who took the lane decreased from 13 to 8 percent.• The percentage of avoidance maneuvers (i.e., changing speed or direction to avoid another party) decreased from 76 to 37 percent.• The percentage of bicyclists who yielded (i.e., gave way to a motorist) decreased from 23 to 7 percent.• The percentage of motorists who yielded (i.e., gave way to a bicyclist) increased from 5 to 9.5 percent.

Sharrow Tests-Chapel Hill, NC

• http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/pedbike/10044/10044.pdf

Overall results from Chapel Hill, NC, indicatethe following:• A total of 91 percent of bicyclists trackedover the sharrows and rode at a safedistance from the edge of curb with moreof an effect in the downhill direction.• Motorists moved away from the sharrows,providing more operating spacefor bicyclists.• A number of variables related to theoperations of bicycles and motor vehiclesshowed positive effects.• Bicyclist sidewalk riding decreased inthe downhill direction.• There was no change in the percentageof bicyclist wrong-way riding.

• The percentage of avoidance maneuvers decreased from 81 to 71 percent.• The percentage of motorists staying in the lane when following bicyclistsincreased from 20 to 29 percent.• A total of 91 percent of the bicyclistsrode over the sharrows—97 percent inthe downhill direction and 88 percentin the uphill direction. Bicyclists ridinguphill traveled slower and tended toride closer to the curb.• The percentage of motorists who made no movement to change lanes when overtaking a bicyclist increased from 24 to 32 percent.

Relevant Bicycle Laws• Bicyclists shall ride in the right hand lane of a roadway as far to the

right as judged safe by the person riding the bicycle

• Bicyclists may use a lane other than the right lane when making left turns, overtaking slower vehicles or avoiding hazards/obstacles

• People can ride a bicycle on a sidewalk in Colorado Springs except for in designated locations in the Downtown and Old Colorado City business districts. When riding on a sidewalk, a bicyclist must yield to pedestrians and travel at a reasonable speed.

• Motorists are required to provide a minimum of 3’ of space between their vehicles and bicyclists they are passing.

City Bicycle System Stats

• 85 miles of designated bicycle lanes • 110+ miles of off-street urban multi-use trails• Several trail tunnels and overpasses

• System development primarily funded with grants, PPRTA List A funding, Bicycle Tax funds and small amounts of General Fund dollars

• Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Communities award (2008)