Campaign aims to increase safety for Tacoma cyclists, pedestrians

The City of Tacoma is launching a new campaign to raise awareness of cyclists and pedestrians on local roadways.

This Lane is Your Lane, This Lane is My Lane aims to help all road users understand the rights and responsibilities that come with having access to the right of way, as well as serve to help clarify new safety features such as sharrows and green bike lanes.

According to City of Tacoma officials, a “Green Lane” is green-colored pavement that enhances the visibility of a bicycle lane in places where there is a potential for conflict between cyclists and motor vehicles. For those traveling in motor vehicles, green pavement reinforces priority to cyclists. For bicycling traffic, green lanes offer guidance on where to position themselves in the roadway, as well a reminder to ride cautiously as green lanes are present in areas where there is higher potential conflict between motorists and bicyclists. The Federal Highway Administration considers green pavement marking to be effective in increasing awareness of bike lanes, according to City officials.

This Lane is Your Lane, This Lane is My Lane also seeks to raise awareness of being visible at night, pedestrian rights at intersections, and what to do when encountering “sharrow” symbols.

In Tacoma, new safety features, including green pavement markings, can be found along the north edge of Wright Park and at the Interstate 705 entrance to Stadium Way as part of 13 miles of new bikeways and pedestrian improvements citywide (see “Tacoma completes 13.1-mile roadway improvement project for cyclists, pedestrians,” Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 27, 2014).

Watch for the campaign to roll out on Pierce Transit buses next month.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index’s complete and comprehensive coverage of the City of Tacoma’s Mobility Master Plan, click on the following links: