6 responses to “Bicycles May Use Full Lane, SLM; MUTCD updates”

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  John Romeo Alpha January 7th, 2010 at 21:47

  I posted today about the “helmeted bicyclist symbol” from the 2009 MUTCD that is replacing the diamond symbols on bike lanes that I have ridden on recently. I just noticed it this morning, but couldn’t find a reference online for exactly when they started doing that in Phoenix. I’m with you regarding the sharrows; most of the Valley would not appear to be suited for them. Perhaps downtown streets?

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  BB January 21st, 2010 at 00:18

  Yes but 75 percent of Phoenix is residential roads.

  I wonder why the 35 mph limit is there?

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  Richard C. Moeur January 29th, 2010 at 14:19

  The 35 MPH wording was inserted during final debate at the January 2007 meeting of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Approval would have been unlikely without this provision (it had already been voted down in June 2005).

  Note that the 35 MPH wording is a Guidance condition; i.e. recommended but not mandatory. An agency can install SLMs on roadways with higher speed limits, as long as engineering judgment or an engineering study indicates that it is appropriate.

  rcm

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  azbikelaw December 31st, 2011 at 15:16

  Re: Shared lane use (“sharrow”) placement
  Richard C. Moeur, PE, 02/01/2010
  Remember that the MUTCD dimensions are intended to define reasonable minimums,
  not establish blanket recommendations. It’s expected that other design
  guidelines, such as the next AASHTO Guide for Bicycle Facilities (currently a
  final NCHRP draft), will provide much more detailed guidance for shared lane
  markings, similar to how the current Guide provides details on bike lanes.

  In lanes without on-street parking, the width of the outside lane will be the
  critical factor in SLM placement – not traffic volume, bicycle volume, presence
  or absence of curb or gutter, etc. If the lane width (excluding gutter) is 14
  feet, then a 4 ft offset is appropriate, as the lane can accommodate a motor
  vehicle and a bicycle side by side in that lane. If the lane is narrower than
  14 ft, then UVC 11-1205.a.3 (and the law in most states that is similar to this
  provision) releases bicyclists from any obligation to stay to the far right. In
  these narrower lanes, SLMs should be placed near the center of the lane, as a
  placement to the right will likely encourage unsafe passing by overtaking
  traffic within the lane – which can then increase the risk of a hit-from-behind
  crash, and reduces overall safety.

  A recent study of lane positioning vs. passing offset in narrow non-sharable
  lanes showed a marked difference in passing offset based on lane position.
  Riding to the right side of the lane was much more likely to encourage passing
  by overtaking traffic with less than 3 feet of separation, whereas riding
  toward the lane center (remember, this is a “non-sharable” lane) was associated
  with much wider passing separation distances – an important factor in the many
  states with “3-foot-passing” laws.

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  azbikelaw January 6th, 2012 at 12:20

  Press Release from Phoenix Political Pedal Power (P4)
  January 3, 2012, For immediate release

  Phoenix Political Pedal Power strongly appreciates that the City of Phoenix has begun to use Shared Lane Markers (SLM, aka Sharrows) for increasing cycling safety when street configurations warrant them. The first use is on 48th St approaching Guadalupe Rd. where the right-most traffic lane is too narrow to be shared by a cyclist and motorist at the same time.

  The presence of a Sharrow has meaning to motorist and cyclist alike. To the motorists, it means that cyclists may be using the whole lane in compliance with State Law, ARS 28-815.A.4. To the cyclist, it indicates the safest position relative to the configuration of the road and is a discouragement to motorists trying to squeak by when there is insufficient room for a safe passing.

  We hope motorists and cyclists alike will continue to Share the Road in this new configuration. In this case, Arizona Law provides for the cyclist to use the whole lane when it “is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane”. Sharrows have been used in other Cities and States for a few years and the results have been better for all users of the roads.

  See P4 on FaceBook at http://www.tinyurl.com/p4bike. P4 functions as the political action arm of Arizona Bicycle Club (ABC), a 501(C)4 organization advocating save and effective cycling, and organizes many rides for all abilities and skill levels. ABC is a member of the League of American Bicyclists which provides education by certified instructors in cycling safety and ratings of the cycling friendliness of communities, States and businesses.

  For information, call Gene Holmerud, LCI #1193 at 602.243.6136 or 602.390.5344

  ###

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  azbikelaw February 26th, 2012 at 19:42

  Searching the http://transportation.org site , this popped up, the history of the BMUFL sign:

  http://scote.transportation.org/Documents/Bike1BikeUseFullLaneSign(3Pgs).doc
  “The TRB Highway Capacity Manual assumes that no lane sharing occurs on
  lanes 12 feet or narrower”

2 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

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  Sharrow / Shared lane marking (SLM) @ Arizona Bike Law Blog November 18th, 2011 at 15:10

  [...] For the latest from the 2009 MUTCD and sharrows/SLM/BMUFL (bikes may use full lane); see bicycles-may-use-full-lane-slm-mutcd-updates … [...]

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  48th Street; Piedmont to Guadalupe @ Arizona Bike Law Blog December 12th, 2011 at 20:49

  [...] appears the best thing the city could do would be to install Shared Lane Markings (SLM, a.k.a. “Sharrows”). The standard calls for “the centers of the Shared Lane [...]