Enhancements Set for City Street Bike Lanes

Don't be alarmed if you see green paint on Lake Forest streets - the new striping color is to alert motorists and bicyclists of possible traffic conflict zones. 

A majority of Lake Forest arterial streets have on-street bike lanes that are typically adjacent to high-speed traffic. With the rise of bicyclists on city streets in recent years, there has been an increase in concerns about potential conflicts with pedestrians and bicyclists sharing the sidewalk and the need to promote safer cycling in the community. 

City staff explored several options to increase road safety, and at the November 21 City Council meeting, the City Council approved the staff's plan to enhance bike lanes as a part of upcoming and future pavement rehabilitation and slurry seal projects. 

The bike lane enhancements will include the narrowing of travel lanes where the street is wider than needed and a buffered lane between the traveled lane and the bike lane. This will provide separation between motorists and bicyclists, encouraging bike riders to use the on-street bike lane. 

To further increase road safety, the enhancements will also include green striping along areas of the on-street bike lane where merging may take place. The green paint is used nationally to identify bike lanes and conflict zones for motorists and bicyclists. 

These bike lane enhancements will not take away from the roadways; they will be added to streets where there is already additional space and a connection to local trails. The new improvements will help increase mobility opportunities for road users, reduce the risk of accidents or collisions, and provide direct connectivity to off-street trails and neighboring communities.