City of Oshkosh, Wisconsin Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Plan

Signed and Shared Roadways – Paved Shoulders
In rural areas or on sections of road that are rural roads or rural highways or
areas without curb and gutter, adding or improving paved shoulders is often the
best way to accomadate bicyclists. Paved Shoulders allow cyclists to share the
road with motorists. Road shoulders should be marked off with a white line, and
cyclists travel on them in the same direction as other traffic. Signage is used to
indicate to motorists that cyclists may be using the paved shoulder of the road and
to inform cyclists that the area of the paved shoulder will be flat, clear of debri
and otherwise designed for bicycle travel.
Paved shoulders are a popular method to accommodate bicycle transportation,
especially on rural highways. The proper width of the paved shoulders varies
depending on a number of factors including the type of highway, the amount of
daily automobile traffic, automobile speeds, sight lines and number of curves, and
the amount of expected bicycle traffic. On rural two-lane state trunk highways
the DOT recommends employing a roadway evaluation method that would safely
allow one bicycle and one motor vehicle traveling in the same direction and one
motor vehicle in the oncoming travel lane to occupy the same lateral road section
at the same time. Local discussions indicate paved shoulders at least 4 feet wide
are preferable by bicyclists in Winnebago County.
Design considerations for paved shoulders include:
• 4 feet minimum width to accommodate bicycle travel (useable width and NOT
including any gutter pan or any area treated with rumble strips)
• 5 feet or more minimum width recommended from the face of a guardrail,
curb or other barrier.
• Widths should be increased if there are higher levels of bicycle usage, motor
vehicle speeds are above 45 mph, or there is a higher percentage of truck
and bus traffic.
• Paved shoulder area should always be delineated from the auto lane with a 6
inch white line.
Photograph depicting a paved shoulder
CITY OF OSHKOSH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN
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