November 2019

Sharrows

A sharrow, or shared lane marking, is an official traffic control device in the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD).  The pavement marking consists of a bicycle symbol and two chevrons. Sharrows are not meant to replace other appropriate bicycle infrastructure but can help guide both bicyclists and drivers on a street where cycling is encouraged but may be too narrow to have a Class II bike lane or other improvement.  A sharrow helps position bicyclists outside door zones, alerts drivers where bicyclists may be, and also helps discourage wrong-way cycling. “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” signs may be used in conjunction or in place of sharrows. 

A typical application is where there is a gap between two segments of bike lanes. Last year the City of Fresno placed the first sharrows within city limits on McKinley Avenue near Fresno High School.  In part, the sharrows replaced a bike lane that had a nonstandard width.

AB 1266 Implementation

Bicyclists often face a dilemma approaching an intersection where the bike lane drops into a right-turn lane.  While the proper location for a bicyclist going straight would be in the rightmost through lane, merging into fast moving traffic often is not comfortable.  Some bicyclists choose to ride straight through a right-turn lane, which is not a legal movement. In September Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1266, which directs Caltrans to develop lane striping, pavement markings, and regulatory signs to allow bicyclists to proceed straight through a left or right-turn lane.

On November 14, Caltrans presented a proposal to the California Traffic Control Devices Committee (CTCDC), which has representatives from local agencies and other stakeholders.  The proposal is similar to what is in the NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials) Urban Bikeway Design Guide. An example of the treatment, from Los Alamos, New Mexico, is shown below.  There are sharrows in the right-turn lane and an “Except Bikes” sign added below the “Right Lane Must Turn Right” sign.  

Family Bike Rodeo at Steven’s Bicycles

An end-of-summer family bike rodeo was held at Steven’s Bicycles on October 27.  About a dozen kids and adults received bike helmets and went through a course to practice hand signals, turns, and stops, and there was the opportunity to do the avoidance weave, rock dodge, quick stop, and quick turn.

Ghost Bikes in the Tower District

On November 1 and 2, the six ghost bikes that FCBC Board Members Tea Gonzales and Sara Topete created were temporarily placed on Olive Avenue in the Tower District for the Dia De Muertos (Day of the Dead) Block Party.  The ghost bikes are memorials to bicyclists who have died in Fresno and help bring awareness of the need for drivers to share the road with bicyclists.  The ghost bikes will be rotated to various locations throughout the Fresno area and will pay tribute to specific individuals who died.

“Bike Safe Fresno” Smart Cycling Event with U.S. Green Building Council

FCBC has partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council Central California to provide bicycle education 

in Southwest Fresno as part of the Transformative Climate Communities Initiative.  On November 9, FCBC conducted the first of six bicycle education events over the next 18 months. About 20 people attended the event held at the Maxie L. Parks Community Center. FCBC members Gene Richards, Jeremy Doyel, Ed Smith, Thor Smith, and John Liu provided one hour bike safety instruction followed by another hour of on-bike safety skills.  Helmets and bike lights were distributed.

Next Board Meeting, FCBC Board Nominations, and December Membership Meeting

The FCBC Board will be meeting on Thursday, November 21 at the Betty Rodriguez Regional Library on Cedar Avenue south of Shields Avenue.  The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.Everyone is welcome to attend.

At the meeting, nominations will be taken for the FCBC Board of Directors.  Anyone who is interested in furthering FCBC’s mission to promote safe bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation in Fresno County through advocacy and education is encouraged to be nominated, and you may nominate yourself.  Any Board member can be approached for more information, or an email can be sent to info@fresnobike.org.  Voting will be online in December or in person at the December 6 general membership meeting, to be held at Rocket Dog Gourmet Brats and Brew in Clovis, to be followed by the traditional holiday lights bike ride on Cindy Lane in Clovis.

Have a comment or suggestion?  Contact us at info@fresnobike.org