Fayetteville, NC Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)

Section 16-320 of the City Code, adopted by Ordinance No. S2025-025 on September 22, 2025, prohibits operating, driving, stopping, standing, or parking a motor vehicle on or across any bicycle lane marked with official traffic signs. The ordinance lists six narrow exceptions where entering the lane is reasonable and necessary: entering or leaving a driveway; entering or leaving a legal curbside parking space; crossing an intersection; making a turn within an intersection; complying with a law enforcement officer's direction; or avoiding an obstacle that leaves fewer than ten feet of roadway available for traffic.

Outside those situations, any vehicle that drives, enters, stops, stands, or parks within a marked bicycle lane is in violation. § 14-4(b), a violation is classified as an infraction rather than a misdemeanor, capping the penalty at fifty dollars. Because it is an infraction, the case is handled through a civil citation process rather than criminal court, though repeated violations can still accumulate. The section replaced earlier general obstruction rules and specifically targets drivers who treat marked bike lanes as extra parking or through-lanes, aiming to keep the lane clear for cyclists at all times signs are posted.