Watch for cyclists: Bike lanes added to 10th Avenue South

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restriping stream 2New bike lanes are being added on 10th Avenue South between Eighth and 12th streets; bike lanes are marked with these symbols painted in white (inset).New bike lanes are being added on 10th Avenue South between Eighth and 12th streets as part of utility work and repair projects that began in December 2017, according to Geoff Boyd, interim director of UAB Facilities Division Planning Design and Construction. The area being striped includes the stretch of 10th Avenue South between the Spencer Honors House and Giuseppe’s Café.

New bike lanes occupy the former right lanes of 10th Avenue South, transitioning it from a four- to two-lane road. At each intersection and various driveways, bike lanes will be painted green and feature symbols painted in white to alert drivers to the presence of cyclists.

“Driving in a bicycle-only lane can endanger both the drivers themselves and the cyclists,” Boyd said. “To alert drivers to the potential presence of cyclists, we’re using UAB-green paint and bright white symbols to further delineate the bike lanes. This will also inform cyclists of the appropriate area within which to bike.”

Cyclists at UAB can follow these four simple steps to help ensure their own safety.

Cycling can be an easier and more sustainable way to travel across UAB’s urban, 100-square-block campus; cyclists at UAB can follow these four simple steps to stay mindful of ensuring their own safety on the road. Additionally, hundreds of bike racks are available on campus, and in this past year, the updated bicycle and other wheeled mobility devices policy began allowing indoor bicycle parking in non-patient care buildings.

Student cyclists also can voluntarily register their bike with UAB Transportation and receive a free helmet and U-lock, and those who log their trips to campus with CommuteSmart can get paid for commuting sustainably.

Later this fall, the section of 10th Avenue South from 12th Street to 18th Street will be restriped to extend the bike lanes. A portion of 16th Street South between 10th Avenue South and University Boulevard — the stretch of 16th that runs from Camp Hall to Campus Recreation along the east side of the Campus Green — also will be restriped to enhance the existing bike lanes.