Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive. If you have a question, and don't see an answer below, please use the feedback form to contact us.
SAFETY
Q: What are some basic items that I need to operate my bike safely?
A: These items are required by law in order to operate a bicycle safely (CMC 503-40, ORC 4511-56).
- A horn or bell
- Working brakes
- A white headlight and red taillight for use from dusk to dawn
- A colorless front reflector and red rear reflector
- Reflective tires or spoke reflectors
Q: I've decided to ride my bike, but how do I get from A to B safely?
A: If you haven't ridden in awhile, please review some advice before taking to the streets. Some people feel safer riding on sidewalks, or riding against traffic, but feeling safer doesn't always match up with crash statistics. Also, bicycling is not as risky as people perceive, as long as they follow some basic ideas:
Route selection is one important ingredient. The Cincinnati Bike Route Guide is a valuable street map, with the major destinations and memorable hills marked. Recommended routes were developed by adult bicyclists. The map is distributed by OKI, along with seven regional County maps.
A PDF version of the Bike Route Guide is on the OKI website at:
2009 Cincinnati Bike Route Guide - front
2009 Cincinnati Bike Route Guide - back
Safety is improved by training. The basics are 1.) follow the law, 2.) ride predictably, 3.) be conspicuous (especially when riding at night), 4.) be aware of traffic, pedestrian and hazards and 5.) make sure your bicycle is ready - tires inflated, brakes working, chain and shifters working smoothly.
Here are some additional resources you may be interested in:
The League of American Bicyclists has many resources, including an on-line video.
The Cincinnati Cycle Club offers safety classes.
Ohio Bicycling Street Smarts - Riding Confidently, Legally and Safely is a free booklet that covers many of the basic issues in more detail. It is available from Ohio Bike Federation.
Parents training their kids to ride should read What Parents Should Know.
Q: Where can I report a street sweeping request or other bike lane maintenance issues?
A: (513) 591-6000 is the City of Cincinnati's Customer Service Hotline to request street sweeping, debris removal, and report potholes, etc. You can also use this online form: Customer Service Form
Q: Where do I report other types of bike hazards (i.e. dangerous intersections, traffic pinch points, drainage grates, chronic speeding areas, and other hazards requiring more substantial "fixes"?
A: Contact the Bicycle Transportation Program using the feedback form here.
BIKE LANES
Q: Why put bicyclists on the street; why not on sidewalks or bike paths?
A: In Cincinnati, sidewalks are for pedestrians and children riding on bikes. Bicycle use on sidewalks with high numbers of pedestrians results in crashes and injuries for both bicyclists and pedestrians. National studies have shown that riding on the sidewalk (and especially when riding against traffic in the wrong direction) is a significant contributor to car/bike collisions because the motorist is not looking for a relatively fast moving vehicle on the sidewalk.
Bicycles are legal vehicles and bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists when traveling on the street. Cincinnati prohibits persons 15 years and older from riding on the sidewalk (CMC. Sec. 506-5.) unless it is specifically posted for bicycle use (such as with the green Shared Path sign). Bicycle paths (trails or shared use paths) are good facilities for some trips, but have limited usefulness for most trips throughout the city. Bike lanes encourage bicyclists to use the street as opposed to the sidewalk, which eases congestion and improves safety on the sidewalks.
Streets by their very nature serve the bicyclist in the same way they serve every other user: they get people where they want to go. The street system is already in place and streets provide access to virtually all destinations: homes, businesses, shops, schools, churches, parks, etc. There is not enough space or money to create separated bike paths all over the city.
Q: What is a bike lane and who is permitted to use them?
A: Bike lanes are one-way marked lanes in the roadway that are for use by bicyclists. Bike lanes are usually striped with a white stripe separating the bike lane from the vehicle travel lane, and sometimes a stripe separating the bike lane from the parking lane. If there is not on-street parking, then the bike lane is against the curb and the stripe on the right is not necessary. Bike lanes are marked with a bike symbol and arrow indicating the direction of travel. Motorists are not allowed to travel or park in the bike lanes and are subject to a fine if they do so. They are allowed to cross the lanes when turning or when entering or exiting a legal parking space. Buses stop in bike lanes, putting the right turn signal on before stopping and the left turn signal on before departing the bus stop.
Q: Can bicyclists still use the roadway where there is a bike lane?
A: Cyclists are still permitted to travel in the regular vehicle travel lanes even when a bike lane is present. When making a left turn, a bicyclist should make the turn from the left lane and not the bike lane. Cyclists should signal and make sure it is clear before moving into the vehicle travel lane. Motorists should always be aware that cyclists may merge to avoid an obstacle in the bicycle lane or may need to move to the appropriate lane to make a left hand turn or pass a slower moving vehicle (i.e. garbage trucks, stopped buses, slower bicyclists).
Q: What happens at the intersections?
A: At intersection approaches, the bike lane striping is usually dashed to indicate that motorists may be entering and crossing the bike lane to make a right hand turn. There are pavement markings and signs to indicate this. Where there is not adequate width to stripe the bike lane up to the intersection approach, the curbside lane should be signed as a shared-use lane. In some cases use of the shared-use lane is restricted to buses, bikes and right turns.
Q: A bike lane is great but how do you get to the bike lanes?
A: Bicyclists ride normally in traffic on streets that link to bike lanes. Lower volume residential streets are great for getting to and from the streets with bikeways. Most people learn quickly which streets work best for bike riding in their own neighborhood. Please see the Routes section for bike maps and safety information on how to ride safely on streets with and without bike lanes.
Q: Why aren't the bike lanes all connected to one another? Why are they only a few blocks long on some streets?
A: Many areas don't currently have enough room on the street for bike lanes. This is typically because of a combination of a high demand for on-street parking, and the inability to either eliminate a travel lane, or narrow the width of existing travel lanes. It is often also prohibitively expensive to widen the roadway. We are doing our best to incorporate new bike lanes into upcoming street rehabilitation or improvement projects, but some streets will simply always be too narrow to add bike lanes. Many arterial streets have peak hour restrictions for on-street car parking. Striped bike lanes aren't possible in these segments, so we try to provide wider curb lanes (14 feet wide) to accommodate bicyclists in these roadways.
It may seem piecemeal, but by adding bike lanes where we can over time (and supplementing them with sharrows, wide curb lanes, or share-the-road signs where we can't) we will eventually create a well connected network. Even if a bike lane won't take you all the way to your final destination, a segment of bike lane will make your trip safer and more enjoyable. Studies indicate that a little assistance is a big factor in encouraging people to bicycle. Small segments of bike lane can provide an opportunity for someone to ride their bike when they might otherwise not.
SHARROWS
Q. I've seen new pavement markings on streets in Cincinnati. The marking is a bicycle with two arrows above it. What does it mean?
A. What you're seeing is a shared lane pavement marking, also known as a "sharrow", now in use in 73 US communities. They serve as a reminder thatmotorists and cyclists are to share the travel lane, and they show cyclists where to position themselves with respect to parked cars. Right now we're studying them as part of a Federal Highway Administration evaluation process. For more information about sharrows, check out the sharrow FAQ page here.
ROAD RULES
Q: It seems that when you add a bike lane it gives cyclists permission to ignore traffic lights and stop signs.
A: Actually the opposite is true. National studies have shown that bike lanes influence positive behavior and improve safety. Well designed facilities encourage proper behavior and decrease the likelihood of crashes. Bike lanes have also been shown to discourage riding on the sidewalk, which is illegal and hazardous for adult bicyclists.
Q: What about bus stops, what happens to cyclists there?
A: Before the intersection, where most bus stops are located, the bike lane is dashed to indicate that the bus can pull across the bike lane and to notify the cyclist that buses will be pulling over. Bikes and buses have to merge just like the buses do with motor vehicle traffic. When a bus is at the bus stop the cyclist should either wait behind the bus or pass on the left. The cyclist should not pass the bus on the right because they would run into people getting off the bus.
BUSES
Q: Do I have to have to pay extra or have a permit to put my bike on the bus?
A: Metro and TANK installed bike racks on the front of all of their buses. Folding bikes are the only bikes allowed in the bus. There are no additional fees or permits required when putting your bike on the bus rack. Contact Metro for more details - (513) 621-4455, or download the Sorta brochure, or the TANK brochure.
PARKING
Q: Where can I park my bike in Cincinnati?
A: Bikes can be parked at any of the numerous bike racks around the City, and may be parked on sidewalks with some restrictions. Where the sidewalk is narrow, take extra care not to block pedestrian ways. Park parallel to the curb. Maintain access to traffic push buttons and cross walks, utility boxes, flower pots and the entrances to businesses. Please avoid locking to trees, hand railings, newspaper boxes, outdoor cafe railings and other private property. Download the Downtown bike rack map here.
Q: How do I request a bike rack in front of my business / workplace / dentist's office / etc.?
A: The City of Cincinnati has a program to install free sidewalk bike racks on request. For more information, contact us via the feedback form here. On private property or at government facilities, you will need to contact the property owner and/or building manager and let them know that you are a customer but you can't find safe, convenient bicycle parking.
Q: How are bike rack locations chosen?
A: Bike racks are installed based on public request. Racks are installed on city-owned right-of-way. Racks are placed as close to the entrance of a destination as possible without blocking pedestrian traffic.
Q: I'd like to park my bike inside at work or at home. Can the City help?
A: Bike rooms and other bike parking facilities are becoming an important, popular amenity in many new and renovated office and condo buildings. Ask about these facilities when choosing a new office or home. Let your current building owner or management know that you and others in your building desire indoor bike parking and offer to help design, operate or construct the facility. Remember that even a small space - the area under a stairwell, a closet, dead space in a hallway - can provide parking for several bikes.
Q: What is the best way to lock my bike to a bike rack?
A: Always lock both the bike frame and at least one wheel to the bike rack. When parking for a short period, you may choose to lock the front wheel and frame. For added security or when you will be parked for more than two hours, use a U-lock to lock the back wheel and frame and use another U-lock or strong cable to lock the front wheel to the rack, frame and/or first U-lock. Make sure that there is little slack in the cable - thieves break locks by hitting them against the ground with a heavy object. Always take any removable items like quick-release seats, lights, mirrors or panniers with you so that they will not be stolen.
