Indianapolis maintains a network of protected bike lanes, the eight-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail, and the Monon Trail under DPW jurisdiction, with Indiana Code rules of the road governing cyclists and motor vehicles in shared lanes.
Under IC 9-21-11, bicycles are vehicles entitled to use full traffic lanes when no bike lane exists, and motorists must allow at least three feet of clearance when passing. Indianapolis has built protected lanes on Virginia Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, and Pennsylvania Street, plus contraflow lanes downtown. The Cultural Trail connects six cultural districts and operates as a shared pedestrian-cyclist facility prohibiting motorized vehicles. The Monon Trail is a 27-mile rail-trail through Marion and Hamilton counties open to bikes, pedestrians, and accessible to e-bike Class 1 users since 2023.
Motor vehicle operation in bike lanes, blocking lanes for delivery, or passing within three feet of cyclists violates IC 9-21-11 and Indianapolis Code Ch. 441 with fines starting at $50 plus court costs.
See how Indianapolis's bike lane rules rules stack up against other locations.
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