Programs

​Bicycle Program Background

Bicyclists are an indicator of the health of a city. When streets are safe and comfortable enough to travel by bicycle, and bicycling is considered a normal, routine choice for getting around, that city will earn the benefits of a healthier and happier population. 

The City of Charlotte's Bicycle Program works to make bicycling in Charlotte safe, comfortable, and convenient for people of all ages, abilities, and neighborhoods. In recognition of its efforts to improve its bicycle environment, the City of Charlotte is recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community. ​

2019 Mayor’s Ride Bike Charlotte

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[Music]
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here at Charlotte and this morning was
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really special project hi I'm by labs
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Mayor Charlotte you know people ask why
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it's important we want everybody to have
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mobility options and we certainly want
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mobility options that would let us have
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clean air and so we're really excited
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about joining that effort today we open
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the first phase that connect solution 3
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Greenway to the Lynx
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in the rim trail a part of Uptown and we
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had a couple
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our closest friends to help us
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[Music]
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we've got to continue to invest in ways
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for the city to be more friendly to the
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estrellita cyclists we've adopted vision
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zero and stated very clearly that if one
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person dies on our streets it's too many
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we've got to have a safe way for people
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to get around the city any options we
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can get people for mass transit
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recycling anything that gets them out of
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their car it's the moving it's the more
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active
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as beneficial for them has been a
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our city and the City Council has
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demonstrated that those are things are
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awareness for
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[Music]

Charlotte Bikes

The Charlotte BIKES plan, adopted by Charlotte City Council in May of 2017, is the city's blueprint for becoming a bicycle-friendly city.  Charlotte BIKES provides the vision, goals, strategies, and recommended efforts to both expand the city's physical network of bicycle facilities with a corresponding growth in a culture that recognizes and welcomes the bicycle as a means of transportation for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

Charlotte Bikes Final

The plan was developed with input from Charlotte's Bicycle Advisory Committee, as well as feedback from the general public and other bicycling stakeholders. 

Charlotte Bikes is organized around the 6 "E's" of creating a bicycle-friendly city.    

  • Equitably implementing bicycle efforts throughout Charlotte,    
  • Engineering safe and comfortable bicycle facilities,
  • Educating bicyclists and motorists to ride and drive safely,
  • Encouraging a bicycle-friendly culture through facilities and events,
  • Enforcing traffic laws to foster safety and accountability, and
  • Evaluating and planning for an expanded bicycle network and expanded use.

How can I provide input on bicycling?

Public input and participation is essential to the development of a bicycle-friendly city.  If you have suggestions for bikeway improvements, we'd like to hear from you.  In addition, be on the lookout for the identification and development of bicycle corridors over the coming years.  More to follow shortly.    

If you're passionate about encouraging bicycling, there are also a number of bicycle-related clubs and non-profits who would love to get you involved.  Whether it's education or encouragement, kids or adults…there are dedicated individuals and groups making things happen.

Need a bicycle rack?

Do you own or manage a business in the City of Charlotte?  Do your customers have secure and convenient bicycle parking?  The bicycle rack partnership program provides inverted-u bicycle racks for businesses located in buildings developed prior to the city's adoption of bicycle parking requirements (2005).  If you think your business may be a good candidate, please contact us.

​Open Streets 704

Open Streets 704 aims to build a better, healthier, connected community by encouraging Charlotte and Mecklenburg area residents to walk, bicycle, and experience the city together in a way that’s just not possible in a car. It’s a chance to slow down and take in your surroundings in Charlotte’s neighborhoods, in a way you’ve probably never seen.

Visit openstreets704.com for more information as the next event is planned!

Shared Mobility Program News 

A key element of the city's vision includes creating a high-energy, hyper-connected, safe community. The City of Charlotte is working to achieve that vision through the addition of a Shared Mobility Program, which adds electric scooter options to the city's existing bike share program.

Use Public Input to stay in the loop about road closures, city events, neighborhood resources and services.

Notify me

Charlotte Department of Transportation

emailCharlotteDOT@charlottenc.gov

phone contect704.336.4119


​Charlotte's Bicycle Network

We want to hear from you about the future of the Charlotte's bicycle network. Click on the Bicycle Network mapto provide comments online.

 Bike Network Map

CDOT works to make bicycling safe, comfortable and convenient for people of all ages, abilities and neighborhoods. 

This map represents recommendations for the major streets within 1 mile of a LYNX Blue Line station location. Tell us what you think about the recommended bike network categories shown on the highlighted street segments.

Four bike network categories are included in the recommendations:

  • Shared Space: Shared roadway, no separate facility
  • Bike Lane: Standard striped on street bike lane
  • Separated/Buffered Bike Lane: This includes bike lanes separated from vehicles by flexible post, built behind a curb providing vertical separation from vehicle traffic, or in street with a painted buffer between bikes and cars.  This takes more space to build than a standard bike lane. 
  • Shared Use Path: A path built beside the roadway behind a curb that is shared between bikes and pedestrians.  This takes the most space to build of any category.

 Charlotte BIKES Documents

 Bicycle Resources