Terminology

The following definitions are from the Federal Highway Administration’s Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide.

Bike Lane

An on-road bicycle facility designated by striping, signing, and pavement markings. (Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill)

Bike Route

Bike Route (No Pavement Markings)

A roadway designated as a preferred route for bicyclists. (Rockledge Drive, Bowie)

Buffered Bike Lanes

Bike lanes with a painted buffer increase lateral separation between bicyclists and motor vehicles.

Sidepath

Bicycle facilities physically separated from traffic, but intended for shared use by a variety of groups including pedestrians, bicyclists, and joggers. (Annapolis Road/MD-450, Glenn Dale)

Protected Bike Lanes

An exclusive facility for bicyclists that is located within or directly adjacent to the roadway and that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with a vertical element. (Rhode Island Avenue)

Sharrows

Pavement markings providing way-finding guidance to bicyclists and alerting drivers that bicyclists are likely to be operating in mixed traffic. (Silver Hill Road/MD-458, Suitland)