Cincinnati, OH Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)

Under § 506-61, which governs driving in marked lanes generally, subsection (d) specifically provides that except for a bus entering or exiting an authorized stop, a motor vehicle driver may not drive on any on-street path or lane marked by official signs or markings for the exclusive use of bicycles, and may not otherwise drive or place the vehicle so as to impede bicycle traffic in that lane, unless the driver is entering or exiting a legal parking space or driveway. Section 508-1-A(j) separately forbids standing or parking in a marked bicycle lane at all.

On the cyclist side, § 506-4 requires anyone operating a bicycle, motorized bicycle, or e-scooter to obey the same rules of operation and right-of-way as other vehicles, to ride as near the right side of the roadway as practicable, to travel in the same direction as other traffic, and to ride no more than two abreast in a single lane; riding on a city sidewalk is banned except for minors 15 and under under § 506-5, and e-scooter riders must yield to pedestrians, sound an audible signal before passing them, and use lights after dark.

Section 512-29, Bicycle Safety Violation Penalties, sets the fine for a § 506-61(d) violation at $150, rising to $500 if the violation causes a collision between a motor vehicle and a bicycle: the same penalty structure also covers related subsections of §§ 506-71, 506-84, and 511-34.