Bike

Media Borough installed ‘shared lane bicycle arrows’ or sharrows on a number of streets throughout the borough. People Bicycling

Sharrows help mark streets that are good places to bike, considering traffic and topography, and the streets where they are marked come together into a connected cross-town network. Installing sharrows helps send the message that Media Borough is a welcoming place for bicycling. Sharrows advise bicyclists to ride in the proper direction of traffic, and where to ride in the travel lane to avoid being hit by opening doors from parked cars.

Where did the idea come from?

The idea to install sharrows, and on which streets, was a strategy identified in the Media Borough Bicycle Plan (PDF), which was developed by the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), with input from Borough Council and from two public surveys. Borough Council approved the bike plan in December 2016. 

Do sharrows change the rules of the road?

No: the same rules of the road still apply as on other streets, including that motorists should give bicyclists 4 feet of room when passing, and that bicyclists should ride in the same direction of traffic and obey stop signs and traffic signals.

Do sharrows mean bicyclists can’t ride on other streets?

No: bicyclists are permitted to ride on any street in the borough, and are welcome on all of them! Streets with sharrows may be nicer places to ride, considering traffic and avoiding steep hills where possible.

Are there any other bike improvements planned for Media?

Yes! The borough bike plan includes several other ideas to make bicycling safer and more comfortable, including crossing improvements over Baltimore Pike and future trail connections. County Council recently applied for a grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to study the feasibility of connecting Glen Providence Park with Smedley Park via a bikeway through the borough— this idea is also included in the borough bike plan.