Bikes on FL 520?
Question
Wayne asked: I am new to Florida and I want to make sure I understand the rules of the road clearly. I have read all your helpful information concerning the laws for cyclists. Am I, as a cyclist, allowed to use the FL 520 from Cocoa to Orlando?
Answer
Bicyclists have the same rights and duties as other drivers, with few exceptions. The most basic right is the use of the roadway. The only prohibition in the statutes is that bicyclists may not use limited access highways, which are usually marked accordingly.
s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations
(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter, except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.
s. 316.091 – Limited Access Facilities; Interstate Highways; Use Restricted
(2) Except as provided herein, no person shall operate upon a limited access facility any bicycle, motor-driven cycle, animal-drawn vehicle, or any other vehicle which by its design or condition is incompatible with the safe and expedient movement of traffic.
This still leaves the question–is SR 520 a “limited access facility”? A rule of thumb is that Interstates and “expressways” in Florida are limited access highways and, with very few exceptions, other highways are not.
Confusion sometimes arises because a system of seven access management class standards is used for the State Highway System, with only access class 1 comprising “limited access facilities”. Although less restrictive access standards apply to the “controlled access facilities” in classes 2-7, a highway in class 2 or class 3 (such as SR 520) will have no or few driveway connections and might appear (to a non-expert) to be a “limited access” highway.
If a highway is (1) not an Interstate or expressway and (2) has no NO BICYCLES message posted on a sign at an entrance, it’s reasonable to assume it is not a limited-access highway.