As a driver of a motor vehicle, do you know what the lane width of the roadway you are driving on measures? It’s important to know and here is why.
In The Villages, roadways like Morse, Buena Vista, El Camino, Odell, Hillsborough and Rainey Trail generally measure 11 feet in width. Since the roadways here do not serve lots of big, wide trucks, 11 foot lanes give our community the feel of a small town and cost significantly less to construct and maintain. As a resident and taxpayer of Sumter County, this is a big plus.There is, however, a downside to these lane widths. In our hometown where health and fitness and an active lifestyle are high priorities, 11 foot lanes can create a bit of disharmony when trucks, automobiles, golf carts, motorcycles and bicycles must share the roadways according to federal and state traffic law and design guidelines. In the absence of a designated lane to cycle in, consider the guidance below.
When discussing lane width, the Florida Department of Transportation engineering guidance recommends an outside lane width of 14 feet to “allow passenger cars to safely pass bicyclists within a single lane,” i.e., without the need for passing motor vehicles to change lanes (Florida GreenBook, chapter 9). This gives most motorists enough lane to comfortably drive their vehicle and still pass a bicyclist with the 3 foot clearance required by law. Any roadway that is less than 14 feet is considered a substandard lane and a vehicle must change lanes to lawfully and safely pass a bicycle.
That being said, there are also laws governing bicyclists riding the roadways. A common belief is that a bicycle should travel as far right as possible on a roadway. Most states (including Florida) use the words “as far right as practicable” meaning as far right as the cyclists believes is safe. A principal consideration of bicycle drivers, although not usually a problem within The Villages, is that the far right portion of the roadway becomes a repository for debris (sand, wood, rocks, glass, car parts, etc. ) which causes falls, blowouts and flat tires. Additionally, cyclists also encounter pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, turn lanes and parked cars.
To illustrate correct lane position, the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide (Summer 2015) “When is a lane shareable” section includes the following 3 illustrations:
For more complete information on driving with cyclists, please visit the Florida Bicycle Association link below:
Dave Lawrence is a resident of the Village of Largo, League Cycling Instructor, Safety Director for the Sumter Landing Bicycle Club and a member of the Bicycle Friendly Advocacy Group.
