Pittsburgh Debuts ‘Advisory’ Bike Lane

The design uses a central traffic lane and adjacent two-way bike lanes to prioritize people on bikes on a popular cycling route.

1 minute read

June 23, 2022, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Advisory bike lane in The Netherlands with bike rider and cars in center lane

Advisory bike lane as implemented in Oudorp, The Netherlands. | Maurits90 / Advisory bike lane in The Netherlands

A new “advisory bike lane” in Pittsburgh is the first of its kind in the city, reports Chris Hoffman for CBS Pittsburgh. Traffic lanes on a stretch of 18th Street were reduced from two to one central lane, with bike lanes on both sides. “For drivers coming toward each other, they will yield to any bicyclists, move into the bike lane, pass each other and continue on.”

Explaining the new layout, Bike PGH Advocacy Director Eric Boerer said “It's really no different than any other narrow street in Pittsburgh where you have two cars approaching and you have to negotiate passing each other safely.”

“According to Bike Pittsburgh, this street was a perfect fit for the change because it's in a park, has a lower speed limit and is predominately used by cyclists.” The 18th Street advisory lane is one step toward connecting Pittsburgh’s bike infrastructure into a cohesive grid.

Monday, June 20, 2022 in CBS Pittsburgh

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