Share the Road

I frequently read other weblogs that deal with cycling in North and South Carolina. One interesting site that I found was bike greenville. James has some interesting insights in cyclist safety issues and two of his posts struck me as things that could be done in our county also.

In September 2007 he posted a request for input on where local cyclist think "Share the Road" signs would be most effective. At that point he had started to receive suggestions about where to place these additional signs. The intent was to raise awareness and thereby increase cyclist safety. A follow-up post was made on just this month

My thought is that the same thing can happen here in Union County. It would be cost effective for the county and the NCDOT to put up additional "Share the Road" signage on those roads within the county that frequently have bicycle traffic. Fabrication and installation of "Share the Road" signs ranges from $75 to $100 each. The reflectorized bright yellow/green sign costs about twice as much to fabricate as the yellow and black version.

The purpose of the "Share the Road" sign is to make motorists aware that bicyclists might be on the road, and that they have a legal right to use the roadway. It is typically placed along roadways with high levels of bicycle usage but relatively hazardous conditions for bicyclists.

"Share the Road" signing projects are a low-cost way to increase the awareness of motorists and enhance the safety of cyclists.