Do you know where bicyclists are legally allowed to ride on Colorado roadways?
A Bicycle is considered a “vehicle” in Colorado and may ride on most roads unless prohibited. Bicycles are prohibited from riding on certain parts of interstates and highways like I-70 Eisenhower Tunnel. If a cyclist is allowed to ride a bike on most roadways in Colorado, are there any restrictions where a bicyclist may ride their bike on a roadway?
Yes. Like motor vehicles, bicycles must be driven on the right half of the roadway with some exceptions like passing or avoiding hazards. If riding at the “normal speed of traffic,” a bicyclist may ride in any lane just like a motor vehicle. While cyclists are typically much slower than motorized vehicles, a human powered bike may go at the same speed as traffic when descending or when riding on slower city streets. The City and County of Denver has a default speed limit on local city streets of 20 mph except when posted otherwise. The normal speed of traffic though isn’t necessarily the same as the speed limit. The normal speed of traffic depends on the flow and circumstances at the time and Colorado requires slower traffic to drive to the right and not impede the flow of traffic. If a cyclist is riding at the speed limit other traffic may be going faster, the cyclist should stay alert for this and the circumstances around them and adjust their position as required under the law and for safety.
If a bicyclist is riding on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic, the bicyclist must ride in the right-hand lane except when:
Preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private roadway or driveway
Overtaking a slower vehicle
Taking reasonably necessary precautions to avoid hazards or road conditions
If there is a dedicated right-turn lane, a bicyclist may ride on the left-hand portion of the dedicated right-turn lane even if the bicyclist does not intend to turn right
On a one-way roadway with two or more marked traffic lanes, a bicyclist may ride as near to the left-hand curb or edge of the roadway as judged safe by the rider.
If there is an overtaking vehicle and the right-hand traffic lane or left-hand lane of a two lane one-way is wide enough to be safely shared with the overtaking vehicle(s), a bicyclist shall ride far enough to the right or in the case of a two lane one-way street to the left as judged safe by the bicyclist to facilitate the movement of such overtaking vehicles unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so.
A bicyclist is not expected or required to:
Ride over or through hazards at the edge of a roadway, including but not limited to fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or narrow lanes; or
Ride without a reasonable safety margin on the right or left-hand side of the roadway.
There are many reasons a bicyclists may move from the side of the road toward the center and take more of the lane for safety. Those circumstances may include but are not limited to:
To increase space and visibility to motor vehicles that may cross into or in front of the cyclist such as from a stop sign, alley, parking lot, vehicle parked on the road side, a turning vehicle, or vehicle merging onto the street occupied by the cyclist
To prevent an unsafe pass by a motorist on a narrow street or blind curve
To avoid car doors opening in front of or into the cyclist
To avoid uncleared winter ice and snow conditions on the road side or bike lane
To avoid debris and objects on the road side such as sand, gravel, broken glass, tree branches, garbage cans, etc.
To avoid dangerous road conditions such as a pot holes, sewer grates, storm & sewer drains, or gutters
The road edge or shoulder is unpaved or there is a sharpe drop off
The bike lane is blocked by an object like a parked vehicle or construction sign
The bike lane ends forcing the cyclist to merge into the traffic lane
The railroad or light rail track crossing is not perpendicular to the road and the cyclist may need to maneuver to the center to cross the tracks straight on to avoid getting tire caught or slipping
When approaching an intersection to prevent turning cars from performing a “right hook” turn in front of the cyclist
When approaching a traffic circle or roundabout
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If you found this post helpful, you might also like to explore the other topics listed below and the many other topics in our comprehensive Safety & Prevention Guide, Brain Injury Guide, and Bike Injury Guide.
