A Sharrow - Shared Lane Arrow or Shared Lane Marking

The Federal Highway Administration has released the 2009 edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the national standard for traffic signs and road markings.

Cyclists can rejoice at the inclusion of sharrows, or shared lane markings, along with “bikes may use full lane” signs. Now that they’re in the manual, local engineers can feel comfortable using them.

Cyclelicious has a great write-up, with pictures.

Establishing national standards is a slow process (nearly 10 years to get sharrows included). Many thanks to Richard Moeur for sticking with it, and advocating for cyclists in committee.

Update: more from BikePortland, with info and pictures about the new bike route signs. Also from Bike Pittsburgh, and BikingBis.

Virginia Capital Trail in downtown Richmond

Join Governor Tim Kaine, Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer, and other dignitaries, citizens, and cyclists from across Virginia at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Richmond Phase of the Virginia Capital Trail — this Thursday, December 17, 11:45 AM, at Great Shiplock Park in downtown Richmond (Dock and Pear streets, click here to download a printable map, with directions).  

This is the western terminus of the new multi-use trail running from Jamestown through Williamsburg to Richmond. When completed, the Virginia Capital Trail will total 54 miles, parallel to Scenic Route 5, one of the most historic transportation corridors in Virginia.

“How many people, right now, are stuck in traffic on their way to ride a stationary bike in a health club?”

Congressman Earl Blumenaur posed this question to a packed room at the launch party for Cities for Cycling, a new project of the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Conceived by former Portland city bike planner Mia Burk, and current city traffic engineer Rob Burchfield, the purpose of the new project is to highlight and promote the world’s best bicycle transportation practices for American municipalities.

BikePortland and Streetsblog have great write-ups, along with WashCycle’s excellent report from the launch party. Check ’em out.

A local bike club and some researchers at Virginia Tech have teamed up to build a web-based mapping survey to gather data on cyclists’ trips. Cyclists are being asked to enter their everyday routes. The data collected will be used by the Town of Blacksburg to plan bike and pedestrian infrastructure improvements.

The survey website was created by the Center for Geospatial Information Technology, with strong encouragement and support by the New River Valley Bicycle Association, who will help rally cyclists to enter their data.

VT News has the full story, “Geospatial researchers assist local planners through participatory mapping surveys.”