Santa Fe motorists may have noticed an increasing number of stencils in the street of a bicycle with two chevron markings above it. These markings, called “sharrows,” are special lane markings to alert drivers to slow down and guide cyclists to a safer spot. The sharrows are installed in areas too narrow for a bike lane.
The City Council recently approved installation of 220 sharrows. This installation marks the first new sharrow installation since the program was implemented in 2005. At that time 144 sharrows were installed. A recent study by the city of San Francisco demonstrated that these special lane markings improved roadway positioning of both bicyclists and motorists, getting cyclists well outside the dangerous "door zone," while drivers gave more clearance when passing. The sharrows also reduced wrong-way riding by bicyclists.
The City of Santa Fe encourages all motorists and bicyclists to “Be courteous, be cautious and share the road.”
