Columbus Drops “Share the Road” Signs For “Bikes May Use Full Lane”

In what many cyclists would consider a big victory in bike/road/car relation, the City of Columbus is dropping those passive signs that basically meant nothing.

The “Share The Road” signs were more of a suggestion, a polite reminder that either you’re supposed to share or those bikers were — a recommendation that never really stated a rule. It’d be like if we our stop signs read, “You should probably stop, up to you though.”

What do the new signs say? “Bikes May Use Full Lane” — It’s clear, it’s concise and hell, makes a lot of sense for fearful bikers that end up being pushed into biking on the white or close to parked cars.

These new signs align better with the city and state code — which states that bikes can use the same lane that cars do.

“In response to a growing body of research and broad consensus in the bicycling community — that this signage is the most consistently comprehended device for communicating the message that bicyclists may occupy the travel lane.” The city’s Bicycle Coordinator, Scott Ulrich, said to Columbus Underground.

The sign will also be a different shape and color. Opting for white instead of the yellow we’re all used too.

“A yellow diamond sign is for warning drivers of potentially hazardous road conditions, whereas the Bikes May Use Full Lane signs are white rectangles, which are regulatory signs that control lane use,” he said. “We believe it is more appropriate to treat bicyclists less like potential hazards and more like the legal road users that they are, and to remind other road users of that fact.”

This comes after new bike lanes have been installed up and down the north side of Columbus, stretching from Broad St. all the way to Hudson.

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