Fort Thomas will have sharrows installed along North and South Fort Thomas from Memorial Parkway to South Grand Avenue.
Sharrows (shared lane markings) are pavement markings that are installed within shared travel lanes (lanes shared by cars and bicycles). The marking is a bicycle with a chevron above it.
By riding through the center of the sharrow, the cyclist positions himself or herself a safe distance from the curb or parked cars to avoid being squeezed off the road or hit by suddenly opened car doors.
- If a cyclist is riding too close to the curb and a motorist attempts to pass the cyclist too closely, the cyclist could crash into the curb and fall off of their bike.
- If a cyclist is riding too close to parked cars, and somebody were to open a car door, the cyclist could possibly get injured, especially if there was passing automobile traffic.
Motorists must know that a shared lane marking means bicyclists may use the entire travel lane. The motorist should slow down and keep a safe distance when approaching a bicyclist. The motorist should only attempt to pass in the same lane if it is safe to do so and there is enough room. Generally, a motorist should wait for a safe opportunity to move entirely into an adjacent lane.