Driving safety guide · Ford of Peoria · Peoria, IL
Bike Lane Markings, Green Lanes and Sharrows Explained
Many streets carry bike lanes, green paint, sharrows and bike boxes. Knowing what each marking means helps you predict where bicyclists will be. Here is what the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) says about each one, in plain language for drivers.
The short answer
A bike lane, marked with a white line and a bicycle symbol or the words BIKE LANE, is set aside for preferential use by bicyclists. Green pavement highlights bike lanes and spots where bicycles and cars cross or weave. A sharrow is a marking in a shared travel lane telling you bicyclists may ride there. A bike box is a waiting area ahead of the car stop line at a signal.
What a bike lane looks like
The MUTCD says bike lane markings designate a portion of the roadway for preferential use by bicyclists and tell all road users about the lane's restricted nature. A bike lane must be defined by a longitudinal line plus a bicycle symbol or the words BIKE LANE, and an arrow may be added after the symbol or words.
The first symbol or word marking is placed at the start of the lane, with more after major intersections and at intervals along it. Bike Lane signs may also be posted. A bike lane is not a shoulder: the MUTCD says a part of the road may not be both, and bike lane symbols are not used on shoulders.
For more on watching for people crossing the road, see our guide on when to yield to pedestrians.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 9E.01 and 9B.04, read November 4, 2026.
What green bike lanes mean
Green-colored pavement makes places where bicyclists are expected to ride more visible, along with areas where bicyclists and other traffic might have conflicting, weaving or crossing movements.
Under the MUTCD, green pavement may be used only in bike lanes, bike lane extensions through intersections, extensions where cars must weave across a bike lane to enter a turn-only lane, two-stage bicycle turn boxes, bike boxes, and as a background for bicycle detector symbols. It may run the full length of a bike lane or only part of it. It is not used in crosswalks, under sharrows, or in electric-vehicle parking.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Section 3H.06, read November 4, 2026.
Turning across a bike lane
The MUTCD says the line defining a bike lane should be dotted on intersection approaches where turning vehicles are permitted to cross the path of bicycles going straight. Where a through lane becomes a right-turn-only lane, the bike lane markings should stop at least 100 feet before the turn lane begins and resume to the left of it.
A BEGIN RIGHT TURN LANE YIELD TO BIKES sign may be posted where drivers entering a right-turn-only lane must weave across bicyclists in a bike lane, and green pavement may highlight that weaving area.
Our advice: before you cross a bike lane to turn, signal early, check your mirror and blind spot for bicyclists, and let any bicyclist already in the lane go first.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 9E.02, 9B.05 and 3H.06, read November 4, 2026. The advice in the last paragraph is our own.
What a bike box is
A bike box is a marked area at a signalized intersection, between the stop line for cars and the crosswalk or intersection. The MUTCD says it may be used to make stopped bicyclists more visible while the signal is red for the lanes behind it.
It must be at least 10 feet deep and contain at least one bicycle symbol. If green pavement is used, it fills the whole box. Turns on red must be prohibited from the lane where a bike box is placed. Our advice: when the signal is red, stop at the stop line for cars behind the box, not in it.
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 9E.12 and 3H.06, read November 4, 2026. The advice in the last sentence is our own.
Bicycle signs drivers should know
These signs often appear with bike lanes and sharrows:
| Sign | What the MUTCD says it is for |
|---|---|
| Bike Lane sign and BIKE LANE, AHEAD, ENDS plaques | Used only with marked bike lanes, usually where the lane begins and before it ends. |
| BEGIN RIGHT TURN LANE YIELD TO BIKES | Where drivers entering a right-turn-only lane must weave across bicyclists in a bike lane. |
| Bicycles Allowed Use of Full Lane sign (R9-20) | Roads without bike lanes or usable shoulders, where lanes are too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle side by side; it tells road users bicyclists might occupy the lane. |
From the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1, Sections 9B.04, 9B.05 and 9B.14, read November 4, 2026.
Keep your vehicle ready for the road
The Works® at Ford of Peoria includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Schedule service online and see our service specials first. Ford of Peoria is at 2211 W. Pioneer Pkwy. in Peoria. Get directions.
Ford of Peoria service hours
| Days | Hours |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri | 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
| Sat | 8 a.m.-noon |
| Sun | closed |
From Ford of Peoria's website, November 4, 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
Bike lane markings FAQ
What is a sharrow?
Sharrow is the common name for a shared-lane marking, a pavement marking placed in a travel lane that bicyclists and drivers share. Under the MUTCD it alerts road users to where bicyclists are likely to ride within the lane, helps bicyclists position themselves, and encourages safe passing.
Can I drive in a lane with sharrows?
Yes. A shared-lane marking is placed in a travel lane that bicyclists and motor vehicles share. It is not a bike lane. Expect bicyclists in that lane and pass only when it is safe.
What does a green bike lane mean?
Green-colored pavement makes places where bicyclists are expected to ride, and places where bicycles and other traffic may cross or weave, easier to see. The MUTCD limits green pavement to bike lanes, bike lane extensions through intersections and turn-lane weaving areas, two-stage turn boxes, bike boxes, and backgrounds for bicycle detector symbols.
What is a bike box?
A box at a signalized intersection, between the stop line for cars and the crosswalk, where bicyclists wait during a red signal so they are more visible. The MUTCD requires it to be at least 10 feet deep with a bicycle symbol, and requires turns on red to be prohibited from the lane where a bike box is placed.
Why does the bike lane line turn dotted before an intersection?
The MUTCD says the line defining a bike lane should be dotted on intersection approaches where turning vehicles are permitted to cross the path of through-moving bicycles. It shows where turning traffic is expected to cross the bike lane, so check for bicyclists first.
What does the BEGIN RIGHT TURN LANE YIELD TO BIKES sign mean?
It may be used where drivers entering a right-turn-only lane must cross a bike lane. It tells both the driver and the bicyclist about that weaving movement.
What does the Bicycles Allowed Use of Full Lane sign mean?
The MUTCD describes this sign (R9-20) for roads with no bike lane or usable shoulder where the lanes are too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel side by side. It tells road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane.
What does The Works at Ford of Peoria include?
The Works® at Ford of Peoria includes a synthetic blend oil change, tire rotation and pressure check, brake inspection, Multi-Point Inspection, fluid top-off, battery test, and a filter, belts and hoses check.
Book a routine checkup
Book The Works, which includes a brake inspection, tire rotation and pressure check, and battery test, at Ford of Peoria.
Sources
Marking and sign descriptions are from the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 11th Edition with Revision 1 (Revision 1 dated December 2025), read November 4, 2026. This page is a plain-language summary of national standards, not legal advice; state law sets the rules of the road where you drive. Service details, address and hours are from Ford of Peoria's own website, checked the same day. Photo is illustrative.
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th Edition with Revision 1 (Sections 3H.06, 9B.04, 9B.05, 9B.14, 9E.01, 9E.02, 9E.09, 9E.12), Federal Highway Administration, Revision 1 dated December 2025 (PDF updated February 12, 2026), read November 4, 2026
- General service: The Works, Ford of Peoria, November 4, 2026
- Address and service hours (structured data), Ford of Peoria, November 4, 2026