| | Published September 3, 2008
| Sharrows Debut in Downtown Lafayette
| | By Cathy Tyson |  | | Street marking on Mt. Diablo Blvd. Photo Cathy Tyson |
No, it's not some sort of public art that we just don't quite understand. It's actually a shared lane marking or sharrow. Sharrows are meant to tell both drivers and bicyclists that they are sharing a lane, and that the available space is just too narrow for side by side travel. Bicyclists have the right of way. The rule of thumb is to drive behind the bicyclist until it's safe to pass or switch lanes to pass.
The City of Lafayette wants to make it safer for everyone using the road. Special care was taken locating the icon so that it's outside of parked cars' "door zone." Bicyclists are encouraged to ride through the middle of the marking. Drivers on Mount Diablo Boulevard should keep an eye out for these markings between Mountain View Drive and First Street.
"This is just phase one of a whole comprehensive bike system in Lafayette. We want to tie it together as part of a cohesive functional system, that includes a safer east - west route through the city," said Matt Luttropp, Associate Engineer.
Get used to the new street art, since California recently adopted sharrows as a standard roadway treatment. Lafayette will be joining San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley as well as Portland, Oregon, Salt Lake City, Utah and Shegoygan Wisconsin as sharrow cities. |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA