Sharrows in Fairfax City

‘Sharrows’ Remind Motorists to Share the Road With Bikers is a recent article in Fairfax News about planned sharrows on Old Lee Highway:

The city, George Mason University and Fairfax County created the Mason-to-Metro Initiative, with recommendations to improve sign system and map, on-road bicycle facilities and trails.

This fall, the city plans to install shared-use lane markings on sections of Old Lee Highway. These markings, “sharrows,” are two chevrons pointing forward with a bicycle symbol below. Sharrows are used to indicate to cyclists where they should ride in the road. Sharrows also alert motorists to expect bicyclists to share the road.

The city also plans to install signs on Old Lee Highway reinforcing the message to share the road.

Sharrows currently mark the bike lanes on George Mason Boulevard and University Drive between the university and Old Town Fairfax.

Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists on the road.

Minor correction: The sharrows on George Mason Blvd and University Dr are not bike lanes. The sharrows are used because there is not enough space for bike lanes. They indicate where cyclists should position themselves in the lane and they signal to motorists to expect cyclists riding in the lane.

Town of Herndon to discuss bike plan recommendations August 14

Herndon Town Council will hold a public hearing on August 14 starting at 7pm to discuss a resolution of support for the Countywide Bicycle Master Plan developed by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee. All Herndon-area cyclists are encouraged to attend the hearing and speak out in favor of the plan recommendations.

As reported here, the Town Council recently held their first public hearing on adoption of recommendations for bike lanes, sharrows, and other bike facilities that are included in the county bicycle master plan. Adoption of the recommendations will be a great step forward for helping to make Herndon a more bicycle-friendly place.

Unfortunately there was some misinformation discussed at the earlier hearing about where cyclists are allowed to ride on the road, and about the purpose of sharrows. FABB has scheduled a meeting with Town officials to discuss the use of sharrows, rights of cyclists to ride in the road, and how the sharrows will be implemented in the Town. Among other sources we'll be referencing VDOT's guidelines on use of sharrows that we wrote about extensively in an earlier post.

What Are Those Bike Symbols in the Road?

Sharrow graphic from BikeArlington

Shared Lane Markings, usually called sharrows, are starting to appear on roads in Fairfax County. They consist of two chevrons pointing forward with a bicycle symbol below. Sharrows are used to indicate to cyclists where they should ride in the road. They are placed away from parked cars so cyclists will avoid the dreaded "door zone."

Sharrows also let motorists know to expect bicyclists in the road. Some motorists are not aware that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities to use the road as do motorists. Where there are no on-road bicycle facilities, bicyclists and motorists must share the road. If the road is too narrow to share, less than 14 feet, then cyclists should ride in such a way that motorists are not tempted to share the lane with them and pass dangerously close. In these cases, sharrows are placed closer to the middle of the lane.

Another bike-related sign is appearing in Fairfax. The Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign sends the same message as the sharrow, that bicyclists belong on the road and on narrow roads they have the right to full use of the lane. These signs were recently installed on Beulah Road on a route between the W&OD Trail to/from Tysons. They also appear on a short stretch of Idylwood Road on a route between the W&OD Trail and the Pimmit Hills area.

We can all share the road. Most cyclists avoid busy commuter routes but sometimes those are the only roads for reaching their destinations. While motorists may be slowed briefly behind a cyclist, the delay is usually minor in the whole scheme of things. Until there are safe, direct bike facilities for cyclists in the county, sharing the road is the only other option.

BikeArlington has developed an excellent graphic of safety and courtesy tips for all road users. It shows various road markings and what they mean. The above sharrow graphic was extracted from that publication.

This article was cross-posted on Reston Patch.

VDOT criteria for placement of Sharrows and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs

In an earlier post we noted that Shared Lane Markings (Sharrows) and Bicycles May Use Full Lane (BMUFL) signs are appearing in Fairfax. We discussed one narrow, busy section of Idylwood Road where cyclist harassment is frequent. We pondered whether using sharrows and the BMUFL signs could be used on some sections of road. We posed our question to Randy Dittberner, VDOT Traffic Engineer. We received a very informative response and wanted to pass it on:

As we were developing our initial list of sites to consider for implementation, we focused on a few factors:

- BMUFL signs and sharrows provide similar guidance to drivers, with a few distinctions. For example, we believe that sharrows may be preferred adjacent to parked cars to better advise cyclists to stay out of the door zone.

- Both devices cost about the same to install, but they have different life expectancy. Signs will last for at least a decade, but sharrows will be constantly pummeled by traffic since they’re often directly in vehicles’ wheel paths. As such, we are concerned that sharrows may need to be refreshed frequently, which obligates us to ongoing maintenance. We are closely monitoring the sharrows on Westmoreland to see how they hold up under traffic.

- It is our initial hope that in most cases, we can achieve a significant benefit with either the sign or the marking, without installing both. This strategy will allow us to address (at least) twice as many sites for the same cost. Certainly there may be critical sites where both devices are needed and add value, and we will definitely consider doing so.

With this in mind, we elected to focus our initial deployment of sharrows on locations where there is a gap in or terminus of an existing marked bike lane. In these areas we have already made a commitment to maintaining pavement marking expressly aimed at cyclists, and the sharrow acts to extend the markings through the gap or beyond the terminus. We focused our initial deployment of BMUFL signs on locations without marked bike lanes.

Fairfax Co gets first sharrows

The first sharrows (shared lane markings) in Fairfax County were recently installed on Westmoreland St in McLean. Bike lanes were installed in the north section of that road in 2008. Because the road narrows approaching Kirby Rd to the south, the bike lanes end. This is an ideal location for sharrows and one that FABB suggested needed sharrows.

The sharrows were installed this week. While not a panacea, they do indicate to motorists that they should expect bicyclists in the road. They indicate to cyclists where it's safest to ride, not hugging the white line or curb but into the lane. On a lane that cannot be shared safely with a motorist (less than 14 feet), cyclists should ride so that motorists aren't tempted to pass unsafely in the same lane. They should either move to the adjacent lane if possible or wait until it's safe to pass.

Thanks to VDOT for placing the sharrows. It took a while for them to pass the 2009 MUTCD guidelines that allow the use of sharrows, but now we hope to see many more on our roadways. Future locations include on Old Courthouse Road at Freedom Hill Park where many cyclists ride into Tysons, and on Idylwood Road between Helena Dr and Idyll Lane, where cyclists coming from the W&OD Trail off Virginia Lane ride toward Gallows Road or Pimmit Hills (via Hurst St.).

VDOT guidance on use of sharrows

VDOT recently issued guidance on use of the Shared Lane Markings (sharrows) and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs (BMUFL) in the Northern Virginia District. The formal title is BIKES MAY USE FULL LANE Signs and Shared Lane Markings, Northern Region Traffic Engineering Practice. It was written by Randy Dittberner, VDOT Traffic Engineer and dated April 10, 2012.

The guidance is meant to clarify how the devices should be used in our area. This is an important step in the implementation of these devices. We've heard that both devices will be installed on a few roads in Fairfax in the coming weeks. There will also be publicity to inform the public about why the devices are being used and what they mean.

From the guidance:

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

In order for these devices to be effective, they must not be overused, but rather limited to the locations where motor vehicle traffic, bicycle traffic, and roadway conditions combine to create the greatest need. As such, the following considerations apply when evaluating a roadway for the possible application of these devices:

• Neither device shall be used on roadway segments with bike lanes, since a bike lane eliminates the need for these devices.
• Neither device shall be used on roadway segments with paved shoulders 4 feet or more in width. Although cyclists are permitted to use the travel lane even where shoulders are present, these devices may inappropriately discourage some cyclists from using the shoulder.
• Both devices should be limited to roadway segments designated by the local jurisdiction’s bicycle plan as part of its bicycle network.
• Roadway segments with low traffic volume, less than 3,000 vehicles per day, should not need these devices, because they usually offer a sufficient cycling environment.
• Neither device should be used on roadway segments with traffic volume greater than 30,000 vehicles per day or speed limits greater than 35 mph. Cyclists are generally permitted to use high-volume, high-speed roadways, but these devices may encourage novice cyclists to travel on a roadway above their skill level.
• Both devices should be limited to roadway segments where travel lanes are delineated with longitudinal pavement markings or other methods. (Neither device should be used on undivided unmarked roadways.)

There is also specific guidance for the signs and sharrows:

BIKES MAY USE FULL LANE SIGN

BIKES MAY USE FULL LANE signs shall be used only where bicyclists are permitted by the Code of Virginia1 to use the full lane. The Code of Virginia permits bicyclists to use the full lane in a “substandard width lane,” which is defined as “a lane too narrow for a bicycle . . . and another vehicle to pass safely side by side within the lane.”

Where this condition is the reason for installing the sign, its use should be limited to roadway segments where the combined width of the right-most travel lane and any paved shoulder is 10.5’ or less, excluding the gutter pan, if any.

In order to avoid overuse of the signs that would reduce their impact and effectiveness, BIKES MAY USE FULL LANE signs should be limited to roadway segments used frequently by cyclists, or where cyclists report being intimidated by nearby motor vehicle traffic.

We are a little concerned that the signs only be used on roads 10.5' or less. Most of the roads in Fairfax are 11' or greater. This guidance seems to greatly reduce the number of locations where the signs could be used.

SHARED LANE MARKING

Following are examples of locations that may benefit from Shared Lane Markings:

• Shared Lane Markings can provide guidance where there is a gap in or a terminus of an otherwise continuous bike lane, where constraints such as roadway width preclude the addition or extension of a bike lane.
• Where on-street parking is permitted and frequently occupied, Shared Lane Markings can help cyclists choose an appropriate lane position, rather than riding too close to the doors of parked cars.
• Where a roadway segment is wide enough for a bike lane in only one direction, the bike lane can be installed in the uphill direction and Shared Lane Markings can be used in the downhill direction, where cyclists are more likely to travel near the speed of motorists and may need to ride farther from the curb to have enough reaction time.

However, Shared Lane Markings shall not be used in any of the following situations:

• As a substitute for a bike lane where conditions permit a bike lane to be marked
• To provide wayfinding guidance to cyclists
• To designate a roadway as a bicycle route
• On a shared-use path or other facility where motor vehicle traffic is prohibited
• In an exclusive turn lane, where they could communicate that cyclists are permitted to use the lane to travel straight through an intersection instead of using the appropriate through travel lane

The layout of Shared Lane Markings shall not vary from the figure depicted above.

When roadway segments with Shared Lane Markings are repaved, the segments should be evaluated to determine whether the pavement could be widened enough to mark a formal bike lane. Roadways with Shared Lane Markings should be a high priority for shoulder widening. If it is infeasible to widen the pavement, the segments should be evaluated to ensure that traffic and roadway geometric conditions continue to support the use of Shared Lane Markings.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

A BIKES MAY USE FULL LANE sign and a Shared Lane Marking should not normally be used on the same roadway segment, unless extreme conditions, such as a documented volume of heavy cyclist traffic and severe roadway geometry, are present to a degree that using both devices together would provide a significant additional benefit to the traveling public.

Safety infographic from BikeArlington

The folks at BikeArlington recently created an excellent traffic safety graphic. It's part of their PAL campaign

As more people go on Arlington's Car-Free Diet, there are more cyclists and walkers sharing the street with drivers. Whether you're on two feet, two wheels or four wheels, everyone needs to be a PAL to safely share the streets.

Being a PAL means being:

• Predictable - travel in a predictable way; don't make sudden unexpected moves
• Alert - pay attention to your surrounds and to others
• Lawful - obey traffic laws, whether in a car, on a bike, or on foot

I like the info about Sharrows (or Shared Lane Markings). FABB has discussed the need for educating everyone about their use. Here's how it's shown on the graphic:

We'll try to get printed copies to use at our events this year. Good job BikeArlington!