Raleigh is proud to be a very “bike-friendly” city + bike lanes are commonly seen through downtown. But did you know there’s multiple different types of bike lanes? Yep. 🚴 Whether you ride or have never picked up a bike in your life, it’s important to be aware and knowledgeable about bike lanes for the safety of our community. You can find 8 types of bike lanes in Raleigh. 👇
1️⃣ Conventional bike lanes: Dedicated space in the street for a bicyclist. They are identified by a solid white strip + bicyclist symbol. They are also typically dashed near intersections.
2️⃣ Sharrows: Shared lanes with markings that look like a bicycle and two chevrons. These lanes help cyclists appear more visible + avoid parked cars.
3️⃣ Climbing bike lanes: Created to provide space for bicyclists, as well as remind motorists to share the lane with bicyclists. An uphill climbing bike lane will look like the conventional bike lane + a downhill bike lane will be paired with a sharrow.
4️⃣ Buffered bike lanes: Identified by two white strips between the cyclists and car. Buffered bike lanes work as a “buffer” between the bike lane and on-street parking — this helps bicyclists avoid opening car doors.
5️⃣ Two-stage turn boxes: Used by bicyclists making left turns at intersections. The bike box has clear directions to help riders safely cross an intersection.
6️⃣ Green bike lanes: Much like the name hints, green bike lanes use green paint to increase motorist awareness of bike lanes and bicyclists riding in them.
7️⃣ Separated bike lanes: Some kind of vertical element is used to separate the bike lane from general travel lanes. These can include flexible posts, curb stops, concrete curbs, planters, and even on-street parking. The City of Raleigh implemented the first of these in the Warehouse District this fall.
8️⃣ Side paths: Paved trails located alongside the street. They are wider than sidewalks + shared with pedestrians.
Rather ride on a greenway instead? Raleigh has more than 100 miles of paved greenways.