What's up with that?

Photo: Aaron M. Cohen

Q: What’s up with the road markings that look like they indicate bike lanes, only smack in the middle of the street?—Susan Schneider, Upper East Side

A: Those are designations for the new Class III bicycle routes, designed to give drivers and cyclists equal access to the middle of the road. (In addition, that is, to the Class II—or dedicated—bike lanes along the side.) According to bike-advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, the idea is to encourage pedalers to keep with the city’s larger traffic flow, thus reducing injuries due to cyclists getting “doored.” So far, the system has been implemented on Delancey Street, and on Fifth Avenue between Carroll and Dean Streets in Brooklyn. But with access comes responsibility: Bikers are expected to abide by the same laws as cars—which means riding with traffic and obeying the lights. Motorists, for their part, are not supposed to beep at cyclists.—Daniel Derouchie

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