Tips for Sharing the Road

Bike Lanes

Where conditions permit, and as opportunities arise, the City has, and will continue to stripe dedicated bike lanes on major roads in New Haven. Although bike lanes can provide a more comfortable experience for bicyclists, riding in bike lanes is not without its risks. To minimize these risks, keep the following recommendations in mind:

▼ Watch for Right Hooks at intersections. Do not give larger vehicles the opportunity to turn into your path. Use the full travel lane if necessary. This is especially important when dealing with buses or big rigs.

▼ Stay out of the Door Zone.

If necessary, ride to the very left-hand side of the bike lane. In Connecticut bicyclists are also permitted to use the regular traffic lane when necessary.

▼ You have two options on left turns. Bicyclists are permitted turn left from the left-hand travel lane, just like automobiles. Bicyclists can also cross the intersection with the green light, reorient their bikes, and then cross with the green light to go in the desired direction. Signal all turns.

Shared Lanes

Many of New Haven’s streets are not wide enough for dedicated bike lanes. While sharing the road is easy on low-traffic neighborhood streets, shared lanes on higher-traffic streets can lead to stressful and potentially dangerous situations for bicyclists, and confusion among motorists. Please consider these recommendations while riding in shared lanes, in addition to the above recommendations:

▼ Ride predictably. Bicycles are vehicles. Riding farther from the roadway edge can increase your visibility and help you to avoid debris, car doors and other hazards; use as much of the travel lane as necessary.

▼ Please do not ride on the sidewalk. 
Bicycles are vehicles. Bicycling on the sidewalk makes pedestrians uncomfortable, gives bicyclists a bad name, and reduces the visibility of the bicyclist, putting them at greater risk of being hit by vehicles pulling out of driveways or making right turns.

▼ Please do not ride against traffic. 
Bicycling against traffic is extremely dangerous. It increases the relative speed of vehicles, thereby reducing reaction time and exponentially increasing the severity of collisions. Bicycling against traffic puts you at very high risk of being hit by vehicles turning into driveways, pulling out of driveways, or making turns at intersections.

Diagrams developed by the city of Chicago. 

Multi-Use Trails and Off-Street Paths

Multi-use paths, such as the Farmington Canal Trail, can provide an enjoyable and relaxing alternative to chaotic city streets. To ensure this experience is enjoyable for all users, please consider the following guidelines:

▼ Keep right, except while passing.

▼ Give an audible warning while passing. People will appreciate if you say “passing on your left (or right)” before passing. Use a friendly tone of voice, if possible. A bell or horn also works.

▼ Obey all signs. The signs posted on multi-use trails are there to help keep you safe. Drivers on roads crossing the trail may not yield. Please stop before crossing roadways to avoid collision with motor vehicles.

Diagrams developed by the city of Chicago. 

Signal your turns.

This will make everyone’s experience a little less stressful and will help to keep you safe.

Use a headlight and reflectors.

Connecticut law requires bicyclists to use a front headlight, a rear reflector or tail light and side reflectors after dark and during conditions of poor visibility.

BIKE RIDER GRAPHIC COURTESY OF YALE SMART STREETS.

Slow down or stop at railroad grade crossings.

In general, it is best to cross railroad crossings at as close to a perpendicular angle as possible. In conditions of very light traffic, this can be accomplished by starting on one side of the available roadway and cutting across the travel lane(s) to the other side of the available roadway, as illustrated in the diagram below.

In some situations, performing this maneuver may not be safe. In such situations, it is essential that you reduce your speed before crossing angled tracks. Even at low speeds, it is important that you turn your front wheel to orient it perpendicular to the tracks as you cross each rail.

Resources for Safe Bicycling in the City

▼ Parking Meters

Bikes park free on all City of New Haven parking meters.

▼ Public Bike Racks
Orient your bike parallel to the curb. Lock your frame and at least one wheel to the rack. If possible, use a U-lock style lock.

▼ Municipal Bike Station
The Municipal Bike Station is now open! In 2009, the City of New Haven converted the garage space at 200 Orange Street for bike storage (20 spaces), lockers and maintenance of the city's bicycle fleet and for employee bike parking. The $20,000 investment complements a number of citywide efforts to make New Haven a certified Bicycle Friendly Community.

Union Station Parking

▼ Three Locations from which to Choose
Bikes racks are located near the southwest garage entrance, at the northeast (back left) corner of the garage and within the glass case adjacent to the garage elevators.

▼ 30-day limit
Space is limited at Union Station. Bikes locked to racks will be removed after 30 days if left unused or abandoned.

Short-term Bike Parking Installation Guidelines for Property Owners Installing Racks on Private Property

▼ Choose a highly-visible location.
Visibility is the best defense against theft for short-term parking. Highly-visible racks will also get more use (because people will know they are there).

▼ Choose a convenient location. 
Locate bike parking as close as possible to the entrance that bicyclists will use.

▼ Plan bike parking for a full rack, not an empty one. A parked bike occupies a space measuring 2’x6’. Do not place racks too close to walls, other objects, or walkways. Getting a smaller bike rack will not save space if you want it to hold the same number of bikes.

▼ Give bikes two contact points.
Inverted-U racks, “staple” racks and “hanger” racks are the best options.

BASED ON PORTLAND BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION BIKE PARKING GUIDELINES.

Request a Public Bike Rack

As funds become available, the City of New Haven is installing bike racks within the public right-of-way in various high-traffic, high-demand areas around town. Racks are typically installed in the area between the curb and the main sidewalk area. Racks can be installed at lower cost if this area is already paved with concrete.

To request a bike rack, please use the bicycle rack request category in See Click Fix at seeclickfix.com.

Bus

▼ CT Transit:
As part of the Bikes on Board! program, every CT Transit bus has been equipped with a rack with capacity for up to two bicycles.

More info, including instructions, can be found here.

In addition, many Yale Transit buses are now equipped with similar racks.

More info, including instructions, can be found here.

Rail

▼ Metro North now allows holders of a $5 lifetime permit to bring bikes onboard under certain conditions. Permit application forms can be obtained at and returned to the Union Station ticket window. Folding bikes are allowed onboard all Metro North trains, with no permit necessary.

In addition all new train cars are being built with bicycle hooks to assist bicycle commuters.
MTA Metro-North Railroad Bike Permit Regulations

▼ Shore Line East allows passengers to carry bikes onboard on the condition that they remove the front wheel.
Shore Line East Policy (located at the bottom of the page)

▼ Amtrak: Bikes are allowed as checked baggage on trains with checked bag service.
Amtrak bike policy
Bicycles can also be locked to Union Station bike racks for up to 30 days
(see Bike Parking).

Current Projects

Bikeways and Greenways

▼ Downtown:
In order to target spending on bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible, New Haven conducted a downtown pedestrian and bicycle gap analysis. Per the conclusions of this analysis, the City will employ shared lane markings as a short-term measure to promote and facilitate the circulation of bicycle traffic throughout Downtown.

▼ Union Station:
The City of New Haven is committed to expanding access to transit. Additionally, the 2008–09 Elm City Cycling Bike Plan highlighted connecting Union Station and Downtown as a high priority. In accordance with these priorities, the City has applied for and received grant money to dramatically expand bike parking capacity at Union Station and install shared lane markings and bike lanes linking Union Station to Downtown, The Hill and East Rock.

▼ Westville:
In addition to connecting Downtown and Union Station, the 2008–09 Elm City Cycling Bike Plan identified the creation of a bike route to Westville as a high priority. To meet this goal, the City plans to install shared lane markings and bicycle wayfinding signs on Chapel St and Edgewood Ave, connecting the planned downtown bicycle accommodations to the Yale Ave bike lane and linking downtown Westville to downtown New Haven.

▼ Farmington Canal Trail:
Construction on Phase III of the Farmington Canal Trail between Shelton Avenue and the Hamden town line was completed in fall 2009.

Bike Parking

▼ Commercial Areas:
In accordance with the recommendations presented in the 2008–09 Elm City Cycling Bike Plan, the City installed seventeen inverted-U-style bike racks within the public right-of-way and bike parking at four schools within the New Haven Public Schools system.

▼ Union Station:
In response to recommendations from the City and Elm City Cycling, dozens of new covered bike parking spaces will be added at Union Station in the coming year.