RALEIGH BICYCLE REGULATIONS

Raleigh City Code pt. 11, ch. 3

in effect

Raleigh City Code § 11-3001 TITLE.

Sec. 11-3001. - TITLE. [This chapter may be cited as the] Raleigh Bicycle Regulations. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13)

Raleigh City Code § 11-3002 PURPOSE.

Sec. 11-3002. - PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to adopt policies, procedures and standards for planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, marking and operating bicycle facilities in the City of Raleigh's jurisdiction for the safety and accessibility of bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists and the public. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13)

Raleigh City Code § 11-3003 DEFINITIONS.

Sec. 11-3003. - DEFINITIONS. As used in this chapter, except where the context clearly requires otherwise, the words and expressions defined in this section shall be held to have the meanings herein given to them: (1) Bicycle: A non-motorized vehicle with two (2) or three (3) wheels tandem, a steering handle, one (1) or two (2) saddle seats, and pedals by which the vehicle is propelled, and also bicycles with helper motors rated less than one (1) brake horsepower which produces an ordinary pedaling speed up to a maximum of twenty (20) miles per hour. (2) Bicycle Facilities: All thoroughfares that provide for bicycle travel including facilities existing within street and highway rights-of-way and facilities along separate and independent corridors. a. Shared streets: All existing public or private street rights-of-way where bicycles share the roadway with motor vehicles unless otherwise prohibited by law. Shared streets may utilize signs placed on vertical posts or markings stenciled on the pavement. b. Bicycle lane/bike lane: Those bicycle facilities on existing street rights-of-way where a portion of the roadway is set aside for exclusive bicycle use and designated by (1) signs placed on vertical posts or markings stenciled on the pavement and (2) by a painted line marking the bicycle lane on the pavement. c. Multi-use path/greenway: Those bicycle facilities on existing street rights-of-way or on a completely separated right-of-way or easement or upon mid across parks, schools or other publicly owned lands where a path is designated for the shared use of bicycles and pedestrians. The parking of any through traffic by motor vehicles is prohibited. Cross-flows by motor vehicles and pedestrians when necessary to gain access to and from a public street or alley and/or a private driveway or other entranceway are permitted. (3) Micromobility device: Any motorized transportation device made available for private use by reservation through an online application, website, or software for point-to-point trips and which is not capable of traveling at a speed greater than 20 miles per hour on level ground. This term includes motorized scooters and bicycles. (4) Motor vehicle: Every self-propelled device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, with the exception of bicycles. (5) Motorized scooter: A device with no more than three 12-inch or smaller diameter wheels that has handlebars, is designed to be stood upon by the user while riding, and is powered by an electric motor that is capable of propelling the device with or without human propulsion at a speed no greater than 20 miles per hour on a paved level surface. A motorized scooter is a type of motor vehicle. (6) Street and highway: The entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature, when any part thereof is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purposes of motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians unless otherwise prohibited by law. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13; Ord. No. 2018-895, §1, 11-20-18; Ord. No. 2020-123, §§1—3, 8-18-20)

Raleigh City Code § 11-3004 APPLICABILITY OF TRAFFIC REGULATIONS.

Sec. 11-3004. - APPLICABILITY OF TRAFFIC REGULATIONS. (a) All bicycles and motorized scooters used and operated upon and across shared streets and other designated bicycle facilities within the City of Raleigh's jurisdiction shall be considered vehicles and the riders of such bicycles and motorized scooters shall be subject to all provisions of the Raleigh City Code and Chapter 20 of the North Carolina General Statutes applicable to the driver of vehicles except those which by their nature can have no application. (b) Bicyclists using sidewalks, greenways, or multi-use paths shall comply with all traffic regulations posted along the facility and shall stop or otherwise yield the right-of-way before entering or crossing a public street. (c) Motorized scooters are not permitted to operate on sidewalks, greenways, or multi-use paths. Motorized scooters may operate on shared streets and bicycle lanes. The operator of a motorized scooter shall stop or otherwise yield the right-of-way before entering or crossing a public street. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13; Ord. No. 2018-895, §2, 11-20-18)

Raleigh City Code § 11-3005 PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY ON BICYCLE FACILITIES.

Sec. 11-3005. - PEDESTRIAN RIGHT-OF-WAY ON BICYCLE FACILITIES. Bicycles shall at all times yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on and across bicycle facilities upon which through pedestrian traffic is also permitted as well as on sidewalks, greenways and multi-use paths. The operator of a motorized scooter shall at all times yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on shared streets or bicycle lanes. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13; Ord. No. 2018-895, §3, 11-20-18)

Raleigh City Code § 11-3006 USE OF BIKE LANES BY MOTOR VEHICLES.

Sec. 11-3006. - USE OF BIKE LANES BY MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive, park, stop or stand any motor vehicle in any bike lane designated as such within official Traffic Schedule No. 26, "Bicycle Lanes," unless otherwise permitted, or except when necessary to gain access to and from a public street or alley and/or private driveway or other entrance way, and except that a driver may stop temporarily during the actual loading and unloading of passengers or materials if otherwise permitted in this chapter, or if necessary to obey traffic regulations or signs or signals of a police officer. (b) The driver of a motor vehicle approaching a turn at an intersecting street or driveway may cross or merge into a bike lane after yielding to other traffic in the bike lane in order to execute the turn. (c) The driver of a motor vehicle accessing on-street parking adjacent to a bike lane may merge into the bike lane after yielding to other traffic in the bike lane in order to execute the parking maneuver. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13)

Raleigh City Code § 11-3007 OVERTAKING A BICYCLE.

Sec. 11-3007. - OVERTAKING A BICYCLE. It shall be unlawful for a motor vehicle to overtake a bicycle proceeding in the same direction at a distance of less than two (2) feet to the left. (Ord. No. 2013-239, §3, 11-5-13)

Source: City of Raleigh, North Carolina, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/raleigh/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=DIVIICOGEOR_PT11TR_CH3RABIREFetched: 11/1/2026