Fresno, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Bike lane driving
- Prohibited except 8 listed exceptions
- Right-turn merge distance
- Within 200 feet of intersection
- Bicycle path driving
- Prohibited except emergencies
- Section retitled
- Ord. 2025-061, eff. 1-30-26
- Bicycle parking (no rack)
- Against curb, or sidewalk without obstruction
Summary
Fresno bars motor vehicles from driving or parking in a marked bike lane except for a short list of reasons: entering or leaving the roadway, a right turn within 200 feet of the intersection, or authorized parking, street work, and public-utility vehicles.
SEC. 14-811. - DRIVING ON BIKEWAYS. (a) Bicycle Path. No person shall drive a vehicle upon any bicycle path except in an emergency. (b) Bicycle Lane. No person shall drive a vehicle upon any bicycle lane except in an emergency or as follows: (1) To enter or leave the street or highway. (2) To prepare for a right turn within 200 feet of an intersection. (3) To park where parking is permitted... SEC. 14-812. - RIGHT TURN AND BIKE LANES. When necessary to make a right-hand turn on a roadway which has a bicycle lane to the right of the motor vehicle lane, the motorist must merge into the bicycle lane only within a distance of 200 feet from the intersection in accordance with Vehicle Code Section 21209...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 54).
Full Breakdown
S. Postal Service vehicles actively delivering mail. Section 14-812 separately governs the right-turn merge: a motorist making a right turn on a roadway with a bike lane to the right must merge into that bike lane only within 200 feet of the intersection, consistent with Vehicle Code § 21209, and complete the turn as close as practicable to the curb per Vehicle Code § 22100. Both sections were amended by Ordinance 2025-061 effective January 30, 2026, which retitled § 14-811 from 'driving on bicycle route' to 'driving on bikeways' to make clear the rule covers both bicycle paths and bicycle lanes.
Separately, § 14-1707 governs where a bicycle itself may be parked, in a designated rack, or against the curb of the roadway or an unobstructing spot on the sidewalk if no rack is available, while § 14-1703 requires bicyclists riding a sidewalk to yield to pedestrians and bars sidewalk riding altogether in the central business district or on designated mall streets.
Violations & Fines
Driving or parking a motor vehicle in a bike lane outside the enumerated exceptions is a citable infraction under FMC § 14-811, issued by Fresno Police traffic officers; a driver who fails to merge into the bike lane within the 200-foot zone before a right turn, or turns wide of the curb, can be cited under § 14-812 in conjunction with Vehicle Code §§ 21209 and 22100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive in a Fresno bike lane to reach a driveway?
How early must I merge into the bike lane before turning right?
Are garbage trucks allowed to drive in the bike lane?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fresno
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Bike Lane Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fresno County handle bike lane rules.