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Protected Bike Lanes / Class 4 Separated Bikeways / Cycle Tracks

January 26, 2022 update:

“Currently, the United States is 40 years behind peer countries in Europe when it comes to developing bike networks with bike facilities for people of all ages and abilities….With ‘Benchmarking Bike Networks’ we want to give advocates for better biking another tool to ensure streets in their community are designed in the safest way possible.” —League of American Bicyclists report “Benchmarking Bike Networks”: https://www.bikeleague.org/content/new-report-benchmarking-bike-networks.

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The post below was first published summer 2017 has not been updated.

What are protected bike lanes, and why are more of them so desirable? How can people help bring them to their communities?

Such infrastructure is known by different terms around the nation. In California, the legal term for them, as adopted with California’s related legislation (the Protected Bikeways Act of 2015) is Separated Bikeways. They are a Class 4 facility in the Highway Design Manual for the State of CA.

Maybe you like to bike, but feel unsafe biking on many public roads. Or maybe you don’t personally bike, but know there are multiple benefits when more people do—including reduced carbon emissions and traffic congestion, improved public health, and more—and you want to make biking safer for others. Perhaps you’re even a city council member or other elected official, or a transportation or urban planner, or other person who cares about making communities better. Whatever your interest in bicycling infrastructure, you’re invited to participate in this webinar.

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Update: Missed the webinar? Go to the following page on the California Bicycling Coalition website for a video from the webinar, along with lots more on Class IV lanes. http://www.calbike.org/protected_bike_lanes

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Learn the latest in a free California Bicycle Coalition / CalBike webinar, “The Why and How of Protected Bike Lanes,” July 13, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pacific time.

For details and to register, start here: http://www.calbike.org/protected_lane_webinar

Cal Endow also funds Building Healthy Communities-East Salinas. Learn more on bikemonterey.org about East Salinas / the Alisal.

Improving bicycling infrastructure—including creating more Protected Bike Lanes—has a big impact on public health and safety.

Below, local teens on the corner of East Alisal Street and Madeira in East Salinas, in front of HER Helmet Thursdays spot Tacos El Jalisciense.


Bike security concerns? Bicycle parking right out front.

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Below are a few miscellaneous notes about Class 4 bikeways that were formerly posted in Bicycling Monterey’s Where to Bike section of the Tips for Bicycling Monterey County 20-section guide. Curious about Class 1, 2, 3 bikeways—and want to see photos and tips about those bikeways in Monterey County? See Where to Bike.
Archived notes about Class 4:

This post was previously published on June 28, 2017.

This post was published on 13 July 2017. One or more changes last made to this post on 4 September 2022.

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