Temporary Traffic Controls – Bicycle Considerations

Detour signs completely block the bike lane and the sidewalk on Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, California. This is especially sucky because Soquel is normally a very busy street with heavy bike and motor traffic. Cyclists typically move at something like 5 MPH because of the steep grade here.

Dear Caltrans District 5: I believe these signs placed by your Highway 1 Project contractor may violate Section 6D.101 on “Bicycle Considerations” in the 2012 Edition of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.


Detour sign in Bike Lane

2012 CA MUTCD Section 6D.101(CA) Bicycle Considerations

There are several considerations in planning for bicyclists in TTC [Temporary Traffic Control] zones on highways and streets:

A. A travel route that replicates the most desirable characteristics of a wide paved shoulder or bikeway through or around the TTC zone is desirable for bicyclists.
B. If the TTC zone interrupts the continuity of an existing bikeway system, signs directing bicyclists through or around the zone and back to the bikeway is desirable.
C. Unless a separate bike path through or around the TTC zone is provided, adequate roadway lane width to allow bicyclists and motor vehicles to travel side by side through or around the TTC zone is desirable.
Guidance:
D. When the roadway width is inadequate for allowing bicyclists and motor vehicles to travel side by side, warning signs should be used to advise motorists of the presence of bicyclists in the travel way lanes. See Section 6G.05 for more details.
Standard:
E. Bicyclists shall not be led into direct conflicts with mainline traffic, work site vehicles, or equipment moving through or around the TTC zone.

Cc: Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission.

3 Comments

  1.     Unless you are vision impared you can see this ahead of time and simply go around the signs. This means making sure there is a whole in traffic big enough. You should also signal. California removed there mandatory bicycle path law many years ago. Meaning you have a legal right to go around obstructions, pot holes, road kill, motorists talking on there cell phones etc.

  2. they did the same thing on zanker not too long ago i just started kicking the signs over as i rode past and they seemed to get the point.

  3. This being a bike lane (not a path), CVC 21208 requires cyclists to use it, but exception (a)(3) would allow a cyclist to merge out to avoid the hazard, as long as the merge complies with section (b).
    But as Richard mentioned, this is uphill on a busy street.

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