Bike Lane Line Marking: Things to Consider
Posted on: 13 October 2021
Share
When planning how bike lanes will be marked on local roads, it is important you take into account the following things. Read on to find out more!
The type of traffic and road
It is important to take into account the type of traffic along the road. The type of traffic will dictate how much width should be given to the cycle lane to allow for safe overtaking manoeuvres. For example, if the road is often used by large vehicles such as buses and trucks, you should make sure that cyclists are given the maximum amount of space possible while still allowing road traffic to safely pass by. However, on some narrower roads, space for a cycle lane may be limited. If this is the case, on narrow sections of the road, you should consider having contractors paint a cycle lane onto the sidewalk. This will help to keep cyclists safe.
The volume of traffic
You will also need to consider the volume of road and cycle traffic. High volumes of traffic could result in the paint wearing down really quickly. Faded paint can make it difficult for a cyclist to correctly identify where the cycle lane is. It could also make it difficult for other road users to see where the cycle lane begins and ends. On roads that have a high volume of traffic, you should ask the line marking team to use heavy-duty paint that can withstand lots of wear and tear from the tyres of cars and bikes.
Overhanging obstacles
A potentially dangerous problem when painting bike lanes is overhanging obstacles. These could be overhanging tree branches or other objects. There are two main ways in which you can deal with this problem. Either remove the obstacle to allow for a wider cycle lane or, if this is not possible, ask the contractors to paint the cycle lane so that it does not go underneath this object or obstacle.
Quality of street lighting
The quality and amount of lighting along a road is important, as it will dictate how safe the cycle lane will be at night. On streets with low levels of lighting, you may wish to use reflective paint and reflective strips mounted on posts which will help road users to see the cycle lane.
For more info, you should contact a line marking company that offers bike lane marking services. A member of the team will be happy to help you.