City of Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bicycle Friendly Community

The Bicycle-Friendly Community program recognizes communities that actively support bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. The League of American Bicyclists, a bicycling group based in Washington, D.C., has granted BFC status to more than 70 communities nationwide, including Louisville and Lexington. Cities both large and small have received the award, including other college towns such as Boulder, Colorado, and Auburn, Alabama.

Routes

Click on the map to enlarge.

This map rates the perceived level of comfort for bicyclists on routes to parks and schools within Bowling Green, Kentucky. The ratings are based on the appropriate experience level for riders on each route.

• Beginner:
  Beginning riders, including children accompanied by an adult
• Intermediate:
  Intermediate riders who have the skill to ride as a vehicle in traffic
• Advanced:
  Advanced riders who have the skill to navigate heavy vehicular traffic
• Off-Road:
  Off-road shared-use paths that are separated from vehicular traffic; suitable for all skill levels

The comfort level rating helps bicyclists of different skill levels find a suitable route within their neighborhood or to their destination. All the routes are within the vehicular travel lane on public streets, with the exception of the blue shared-use paths (e.g. Cemetery Road from Indian Hills Drive to Lovers Lane). The shared-use paths shown with a blue dash are proposed routes that are scheduled for construction in 2005-06. Sidewalks are not included in this plan

Regulations

As taxpayers, cyclists pay to use the roads too. Cyclists have the same legal right as motorists to use the roads (except limited access roads). When a cyclist rides on the road as a vehicle, the cyclist must ride in a lawful and predictable manner. Be sure to use hand signals and obey traffic signs, lights, and road markings.

Kentucky law states that cyclists shall:

“Be granted all the rights and be subject to all the duties” applicable to drivers of any vehicle. A bicycle is a vehicle, not a toy, and as such, must obey the traffic rules and regulations pertaining to all highway users. Motorists should regard bicyclists as they would any other vehicle.

For more detailed information about rules and regulations for bicyclists within Bowling Green, please view section 22-8 of our Code of Ordinances.