Regulatory signs
Bike Lane sign
The lane it marks is reserved for bicycles. Its upper panel is black with a white bicycle symbol, above a white panel that reads BIKE LANE in black. Drivers may not travel or park in the lane, and may only cross it to reach a turn or a parking space.
- Wide rectangle
- Black
- MUTCD R3-17
Shape and background first
Federal designation R3-17 in the MUTCD, the national standard every state signs to. Placed just before the striping starts on urban and suburban arterial roads where a dedicated bike lane has been added along the shoulder.
What the MUTCD specifies
Designation: R3-17
MUTCD Section 9B.04
Standard: Use BIKE LANE signs only with marked bicycle lanes.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, MUTCD 11th Edition (December 2023), Part 9, Table 9A-1; Section 9B.04, verified 2026-09-26.
What the test wants you to know
The mistake people make
The black panel with a white bicycle over a white BIKE LANE legend marks this as regulatory rather than a yellow advisory sign, so the rule is mandatory, not a suggestion. Turning across the lane without checking for a cyclist first is one of the most common right hook collisions on city streets, and exam questions often place a car and a bike side by side at an intersection and ask who has to check for whom.
The sign people confuse it with
Bike Lane gets mixed up with Bicycles In Road more than any other pairing in this category. Put them side by side and the difference is obvious, which is exactly why it is worth doing once rather than meeting them cold in the exam.
Bike Lane
The lane it marks is reserved for bicycles.
Bicycles In Road
This plaque is mounted below a bicycle warning sign on a road with no separate bike lane.
