§ 150-65. Bicycle routes, bicycle lanes, and multi-use trails.

(a)

(1)  Installation. The department of public works shall install designated bicycle routes and lanes along city streets in accordance with the city's comprehensive development plan. Said routes and lanes shall conform with the design standards and guidelines set forth by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the most recent version of its "Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities." The department of public works shall submit the proposed design of all bicycle routes and lanes to the department of planning, development and neighborhood conservation and to the Atlanta Bicycle Planning Committee for their review and comment prior to installation. Furthermore, the department of public works shall install proposed bicycle routes and lanes concurrent with the resurfacing or improvement of all streets along which a bicycle route or lane is proposed in the city's comprehensive development plan.

(2)

Removal. Designated bicycle routes, bicycle lanes, and multi-use trails shall not be removed or substantially altered except as specifically authorized by the city council through an appropriate resolution. However, this provision shall not apply to the temporary removal of bicycle lanes or the temporary re-routing of bicycle routes as necessitated by street resurfacing, widening, or other construction activities.

(b)

The following regulations apply to the use of bicycle lanes, bicycle routes, and multi-use trails:

(1)

Persons operating motor driven vehicles shall yield the right-of-way to persons operating a bicycle upon a bicycle lane.

(2)

Persons operating motor driven vehicles may operate in a bicycle lane or on a multi-use trail only for the purposes of making a turn, entering or exiting the roadway, or when required in the course of official duties.

(3)

Persons shall not operate motor vehicles upon multi-use trails except when specifically allowed by law.

(4)

Parking within a designated bicycle lane is prohibited.

(5)

Persons shall not operate bicycles or motor driven vehicles (as allowed within this section), in excess of the posted speed limit.

(6)

Persons shall not operate bicycles on a multi-use trail in a reckless manner, or in any other manner which endangers other users of the trail.

(c)

Violations; penalties. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be deemed guilty of an offense and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by the municipal court for the City of Atlanta as set forth herein.

(1)

No person shall stop, leave standing, or park any passenger vehicle, automobile, light truck, sport utility vehicle, or motorcycle whether attended or unattended, on any portion of a bicycle route, bicycle lane or multi-use trail within the city's municipal street system and on extensions of a county road system within the city's corporate limits, including but not limited to areas for loading and unloading, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with the directions of a peace officer or official traffic control device. Any person violating this provision shall be deemed guilty of an offense and upon conviction, shall be fined $100.00.

(2)

No person shall stop, leave standing, or park any motor vehicle operated separately or in combination with any trailer or semitrailer which has either two axles with six or more tires or three or more axles, whether attended or unattended, on any portion of a bicycle route, bicycle lane, or multi-use trail within the city's municipal street system and on extensions of a county road system within the city's corporate limits, including but not limited to areas for loading and unloading, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with the directions of a peace officer or official traffic control device. Any person violating this provision shall be deemed guilty of an offense and upon conviction, shall be fined $1,000.00.

(Code 1977, § 13-2336(c); Ord. No. 1995-48, § 1, 8-28-95; Ord. No. 1997-61, § 1, 10-27-97; Ord. No. 2019-23(19-O-1110), § 1, 3-26-19 )

Editor's note

Section 2 of Ord. No. 1997-61 reads as follows: "The council further ordains that any previously designated bicycle lanes that have been removed, other than by action of the Atlanta City Council, shall be reinstalled."