From Bicylinginfo.org site:
"Studies have shown that a simple white line is actually quite effective in channelizing both motorists and bicyclists and that both feel more comfortable with the line in place. Raised pavement markers can cause a cyclist to lose control and fall; barriers and curbs also prevent bicyclists from avoiding obstacles (or even passing another cyclist) and making a left turn, and make maintenance much more challenging (and unlikely).
Innovative bike lane designs
"There are a number of innovative bike lane designs that have been tried and tested to overcome particular barriers to bicycling, or to solve a problem in a particular location.
Contraflow bike lanes
"While bike lanes should normally carry bicyclists in the direction of traffic, there are some locations where there is a strong demand for bicyclists to travel against the normal flow of traffic, or to travel in both directions on a one-way street. For example, University Avenue in Madison, Wis., runs through the heart of the University of Wisconsin campus can carries heavy flows of bicyclists and other road users. Because of the high demand for bicycle travel in both directions, several years ago the road was rebuilt with a bus lane, bike lane and three travel lanes in one direction and a bike lane only (separated by a raised median) in the other direction.
"A number of communities have created short segments of contraflow bike lanes in order to provide bicyclists unique access to residential streets. For example, the cities of Madison and Portland have both used this technique to open up a network of routes on residential streets that are not accessible in both directions both motor vehicle-essentially creating a very short stretch of roadway that is two-way for bikes but only one-way for cars."
Bike Lanes, from Bicycling Info: http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/engineering/facilities-bikelanes.cfm
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Bicycle Trails in Maryland: http://www.roads.maryland.gov/Index.aspx?PageId=594
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From Bike Maryland site: http://bikemd.org/
10 things every driver should know about sharing the road with cyclists:
"You look for pedestrians when you’re making a turn, right? Why not take a couple of seconds longer to look for a cyclist? The rider has the right of way if he’s going straight and you’re turning right.
"The bike lane serves a purpose, and it isn’t for you to park in, even for “just a couple of seconds.” When you do that, cyclists have to swerve into traffic lanes — lanes in which drivers don’t expect them because there is, after all, a bike lane.
"You may never feel more powerful than when your foot’s on the gas pedal, but if you are at fault in a collision with a cyclist — even if you just “brush” against the biker — you might lose your driver’s license for a while and your private auto insurance forever. You could be looking at criminal charges, too.
Riders go through stop signs. It’s illegal, and it can be annoying if they do it cavalierly. Other cyclists slow down, look both ways and then roll through. Usually it’s because their shoes are mechanically attached to the pedal. Yes, they can clip out, but they opt not to.
"Don’t count on a cyclist to hear your car coming from behind. A rider is hearing a lot more noise than you are inside the car with the windows rolled up. And some foolishly listen to music while they ride. But don’t lean on the horn.
"Wonder why that bike rider stays five feet away from the row of parked cars as you’re trying to navigate a narrow street? Cyclists call it being “doored.” If someone swings open the door of a parked car, the cyclist who is too close goes down. With many drivers pausing to check text messages or finish phone calls before they get out of a car, there’s no telling when a door will pop open.
"It would be great if every street had a bike lane and every road had a wide shoulder, but they don’t. Even when they do, there are things that you might not notice that push cyclists into the traffic lane. It’s stuff you roll over — potholes, sewer grates, pavement cracks, branches, broken glass, junk that falls off cars or out of trucks and the McDonald’s bag somebody tossed out the window."
Please view the full article here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/what-drivers-should-know-about-sharing-the-road-with-bicyclists-and-vice-versa/2012/09/15/4b8c9426-fe72-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_story.html
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From Capital Bikeways: MoCo map (dynamic): http://washcycle.typepad.com/bikemap/
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