Bicycle Board Members,
The Federal Highway Administration has approved and released the new MUTCD that legitimizes Shared Lane Markings (Sharrows, Chevrons) and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs. Recall that the WVDOH retracted their approval of our plan to install SLMs and BMUFL signs because these weren't in the currently used 2003 MUTCD. The WVDOH people told me that they can't use the new MUTCD until the WV legislature tells them to. Does anybody know how to expedite that? Any other ideas on how we can use the FHWA's issuance of the new MUTCD to get WVDOH to approve our plan?
The FHWA web site,
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ says: "On December 16, 2009 a final rule adopting the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD was published in the Federal Register. States must adopt the 2009 National MUTCD as their legal State standard for traffic control devices within two years." The Federal Register notice, which provides detailed discussion of the FHWA's decisions on major changes from the 2003 edition, can be viewed at
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-28322.pdf (PDF, 716KB). To view the 2009 MUTCD and other related information, go to
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009.htm.
FYI, I copied and pasted the sections on SLMs and BMUFL signs below.
Frank
Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
Section 9C.07 Shared Lane Marking
Option:
01 The Shared Lane Marking shown in Figure 9C-9 may be used to:
A. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce
the chance of a bicyclist’s impacting the open door of a parked vehicle,
B. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to
travel side by side within the same traffic lane,
C. Alert road users of the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way,
D. Encourage safe passing of bicyclists by motorists, and
E. Reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling.
Guidance:
02 The Shared Lane Marking should not be placed on roadways that have a speed limit above 35 mph.
Standard:
03 Shared Lane Markings shall not be used on shoulders or in designated bicycle lanes.
Guidance:
04 If used in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking, Shared Lane Markings should be placed so that the
centers of the markings are at least 11 feet from the face of the curb, or from the edge of the pavement where there
is no curb.
05 If used on a street without on-street parking that has an outside travel lane that is less than 14 feet wide, the
centers of the Shared Lane Markings should be at least 4 feet from the face of the curb, or from the edge of the
pavement where there is no curb.
06 If used, the Shared Lane Marking should be placed immediately after an intersection and spaced at intervals
not greater than 250 feet thereafter.
Option:
07 Section 9B.06 describes a Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign that may be used in addition to or instead of the
Shared Lane Marking to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane.
Section 9B.06 Bicycles May Use Full Lane Sign (R4-11)Option:
01 The Bicycles May Use Full Lane (R4-11) sign (see Figure 9B-2) may be used on roadways where no bicycle
lanes or adjacent shoulders usable by bicyclists are present and where travel lanes are too narrow for bicyclists and
motor vehicles to operate side by side.
02 The Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign may be used in locations where it is important to inform road users that
bicyclists might occupy the travel lane.
03 Section 9C.07 describes a Shared Lane Marking that may be used in addition to or instead of the Bicycles May
Use Full Lane sign to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane.
Support:
04 The Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) defines a “substandard width lane” as a “lane that is too narrow for a
bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the same lane.”