Shared Lane Markings
We have been working with the city and were able to get these roadway markings placed along Liberty Ave in June of 2007. They are known as Shared Lane Markings or Sharrows. Eventually, we will work with the city to install these useful markings city wide.
Because the markings are new to many road users, the City of Pittsburgh has developed a list of frequently asked questions.
Can I still drive where these bicycle markings exist?
If there is not accompanying white stripe with the marking then it is not a bike lane. What you’re seeing is a shared lane marking, also known as a “sharrow.” You may still drive in that travel lane.
What are sharrows?
Sharrows are short for “shared lane pavement markings.” They are comprised of an image of a bicycle with a series of chevrons to indicate that motorists and cyclists are to share the travel lane.
Most streets in Pittsburgh are shared by cyclists and motorists and don’t have sharrows. Why mark only some streets?
While bicyclists are allowed on all streets in Pittsburgh, the city has designated some streets as part of the Bicycle Routing system in order to help bicyclists safely navigate to their destination. Many of these streets carry lower volumes of traffic with relatively slow speeds and special markings aren’t needed. We are placing sharrows only on streets where traffic on the Bicycle Routing System is relatively heavy, speeds are a little higher, and/or the streets should be marked with bicycle lanes but cannot be because of street width, demands for on-street parking, or the number of travel lanes.
Why are these markings on the street, what is their purpose?
The principle behind sharrows is simple: to reinforce the existing rules of the road in order to create safer conditions for bicycling. In the absence of bicycle lanes on busy streets cyclists often ride too closely to parked cars. If somebody were to open a car door as a cyclist passed the cyclist could get “doored” and possibly get injured, perhaps seriously-especially if there was passing automobile traffic. Also, when cyclists stay far right in narrow travel lanes, passing motorists often don’t see cyclists or pass too closely to them. This is not only unnerving for the cyclist, but it also leaves little margin for error.
Why not just stripe bicycle lanes?
We’re using the sharrows in areas where there isn’t enough room on the street for bicycle lanes. This is typically due to a high demand for on-street parking (as in the case of Liberty Ave.), the inability to narrow the existing travel lanes, or a combination of the two. Sharrows are an effective, flexible alternative to striped bike lanes and can be used to improve cyclist safety and make needed connections in the bicycle route system.
As a cyclist, what should I do in the presence of sharrows?
We’ve placed the sharrows outside of the parked car’s “door zone.” Because the travel lane is too narrow for safe side-by-side travel by a motorist and a cyclist we expect cyclists to ride through the center of the sharrow, while still paying attention to potential door openings.
As a motorist, what should I do in the presence of sharrows?
Slow down and drive carefully. Because the travel lane is either too narrow or too busy for safe side-by-side travel by motorists and cyclists we expect motorists to slow down and either wait for the cyclist to turn off the roadway, or wait until you can pass safely. You probably won’t have to wait long, and gunning it past a cyclist to save 30 seconds on your travel time isn’t worth the risk of injuring someone!
Why not put sharrows on all busy streets?
Right now we’re using sharrows to facilitate cyclists through a busy part of the Bicycle Routing System that is too narrow for a bike lane, and has a large cycling presence. We also want to encourage bicyclists to use the Bicycle Routing System. Sharrows are pending state approval, and depending on how well they work, we may expand their use.
What do you hope to accomplish with the sharrows?
We want to create safer conditions for bicyclists on busy streets where we should have bicycle lanes, but cannot. We hope to do this by moving cyclists a little further away from parked cars than they would normally ride in the absence of sharrows, and creating a little more separation between passing motorists and cyclists than would normally exist.
Do sharrows work?
They seem to. A 2003 study in San Francisco showed that in the presence of sharrows cyclists moved further away from parked cars and passing motorists moved further away from cyclists than in the absence of sharrows. The California Traffic Control Device Committee recently adopted sharrows as a statewide standard roadway treatment, and San Francisco has already painted hundreds of them on their streets. Many cities nationwide such as Portland, Oregon and Chicaco are also now incorporating sharrows into their cycling toolbox.
