The Ontario government has issued a stay-at-home order effective Jan. 14 as part of a second provincial state of emergency due to COVID-19. Review the news release from the Province of Ontario.
The City of North Bay will be introducing shared lane pavement markings, or sharrows, on some streets. The purpose of sharrows - two chevrons painted above a bicycle symbol - is to remind cyclists and drivers to share the road. Although you should always keep on the lookout for bicyclists, this serves as an additional warning to watch for them in the lane.
Sharrows are used to indicate to both motorists and cyclists the appropriate line of travel for cyclists.
Where shared lanes are wide enough for cyclists to ride alongside motorists, sharrows are applied near the curb.
Where shared lanes are too narrow for cyclists to ride alongside motorists, the sharrows are placed in the centre of the lane.
No. Sharrows are used in lanes that are shared by motorists and cyclists.
Sharing the road means motorists should:
Sharrows are used in curb lanes, e.g. beside the curb or parked cars. They are also painted in the middle of narrow roadway lanes where there is not enough room for a cyclist to travel alongside a motorist.
Bike lanes are a dedicated space for cyclists where motorists are not allowed to park, stop or drive. Bike lanes are painted on the road with bicycle symbols and a solid white line.
In comparison, sharrows are used in lanes that are shared by motorists and cyclists. Travel lanes with sharrows do not have a separate white line indicating a dedicated cycling area. Instead, chevrons and a bicycle symbol are used to indicate where cyclists should ride, and where motorists should expect to see cyclists.
On streets where bicycle lanes cannot be accomodated, the city will use sharrow markings instead.
Sharrows and Share the Road signage are being coupled with advisory bike lanes as part of a pilot project on Memorial Drive. A total of 14 Share the Road Signs and 14 sharrows will be installed every 400 metres along the roadway to further clarify that cyclists and motorists are sharing the road.