You're riding down a street. You see a swath of green--and white lines and--barricades!? Really? There's a bike lane here?
More than a few times, I've had bike paths appear seemingly out of nowhere--and end just as abruptly. Or someone tells me about a lane I somehow missed in an area I ride frequently.
Now, I can only imagine how often someone who's newer to cycling than I am--or who rides less frequently than I do--is totally oblivious to whatever bicycle infrastructure might be available to them. Or they just don't know what might be a good route to pedal from their homes to work, school, the park or wherever they want or need to go.
The folks at Bike Delaware understand as much. They were instrumental in getting the state to build bike lanes-- including the Wilmington-New Castle Greenway, a safe, direct, flat and nearly uninterrupted seven-mile motor-free trail linking the Wilmington riverfront with downtown New Castle.
That lane opened last September. Three years earlier, in July of 2015, Bike Delaware began working with the Delaware Department of Transportation to to secure the necessary regulatory approval for "wayfinding" signage. Transportation signs are highly regulated by the Federal government--more so than roadways or bike paths, which are mainly state or county projects.
Best of all, the bike signs have their own unique color, so they can't be confused with other road signs.
I haven't been to Delaware in a long time. But if I ever find myself there, at least I'll know which way to ride!
