Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How are separated bike lanes plowed and swept?

Lakewood Public Works has scaled-down maintenance equipment that is small enough to plow and sweep separated bike lanes between the buffer zone and the curb. Plowed snow will be stored to the extent possible in the buffer zone and/or in the strip between the bike lane and the sidewalk. Snow plowing of separated bike lanes will be prioritized alongside that of shared-use paths, and may happen the following business day after a weekend snow event. Separated bike lanes are swept on an as-needed basis, so if you encounter a separated bike lane in need of sweeping please let maintenance staff know by submitting a request online.

Q: What is the reasoning behind a parking-protected bike lane?

On a roadway with on-street parking, a bike lane separated with curbing, posts, or other vertical elements would block access to on-street parking along the curb. In order to separate the bike lane without obstructing the parking lane, the two lanes must switch places. This allows for on-street parking while providing additional separation between bicyclists and moving traffic in the form of parked cars. Additionally, when a bike lane runs directly adjacent to a parking lane on the left side, there is great danger of a cyclist being hit with a car door and pushed into moving traffic when a motorist exits their parked vehicle. To avoid this, the separated bike lane is shifted to the passenger side of the vehicle where doors are opened less frequently and an open door would only push a bicyclist onto the sidewalk instead of into the street. While parking-protected bike lanes are new in Lakewood — the only existing one is on the east side of Garrison Street between Iowa and Utah avenues — these lanes are an internationally recognized design and have become relatively common in the Denver metro area in recent years.

Q: Can I walk or run in a separated bike lane?

Unlike a sidewalk or shared-use path, a separated bike lane is a one-way facility exclusively for bicyclists and other small wheeled devices such as scooters. For this reason, pedestrians should not walk or use a wheelchair in a separated bike lane unless there is no sidewalk or other safe alternative present.

Q: Where should trash cans be placed along a separated bike lane?

Most Lakewood separated bike lanes are narrow enough that garbage trucks can reach over the bike lane to the curb, so trash cans should be placed as close to the curb as possible as not to encroach into the bike lane itself. In a parking-protected lane, trash cans should be placed in the parking lane or in the buffer between the separated bike lane and the parking lane to ensure they can be reached by garbage haulers.