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Siskiyou Velo

Southern Oregon's Premier Cycling Club

W. Main Bike Lane??

by Gary Shaff on Sep, 4 2016

How narrow of a bike lane is too narrow? I think the one along W. Main in Medford provides too little separation between motor vehicles and people riding bikes.Size 46 about 12 inches which means the paved surface between the gutter pan and the inside of the bike lane marking is about 25 inches. Here’s what the U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration has to say on the subject. ”Bicycle lanes serve the needs of all types of cyclists in urban and suburban areas, providing them with their own travel lane on the street surface. The minimum width of a bike lane should be 1.5 meters (5 feet) against a curb or adjacent to a parking lane. On streets where the bike lane is adjacent to the curb and the curb includes a 1-foot to 2-foot gutter pan, bike lanes should be a minimum of 4 feet wide (width does not include the gutter pan, since bicyclists are typically unable to use this space).” source – FHWA Safety

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Too Narrow Bike Lane on West Main, Medford

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