Nashville, TN Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- Metropolitan Code § 12.60.135
- Parking in bike lane
- Prohibited unless signed exception
- Motor vehicle use of lane
- No turning or passing lane use
- Cyclist right-of-way
- Motorists must yield
Summary
Metro Code § 12.60.135 bars driving, turning through, or parking in a bicycle lane, and requires motorists to yield to cyclists riding in one.
Every person operating a motor vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a person operating a bicycle within a bicycle lane. A person operating a motor vehicle may cross a bicycle lane when making a turn or when entering or leaving the roadway, but a bicycle lane shall not be used as turning lane or passing lane. Motor vehicles should not be parked, stopped or left standing in bicycle lanes unless the metropolitan traffic and parking commission has determined that parking within the bicycle lane in specific locations is appropriate during certain hours...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Under Metropolitan Code § 12.60.135, drivers must yield the right-of-way to bicyclists in a bike lane and cannot use the lane as a turning or passing lane, though a brief crossing to turn or enter/exit the roadway is allowed. Parking or standing in a bike lane is barred citywide unless the metropolitan traffic and parking commission has designated and signed specific hours for it. Cyclists in the lane must pass on the left with an audible signal and yield when entering or leaving the lane.
Violations & Fines
Violating Title 12 bicycle provisions, including § 12.60.135, is enforced as a traffic offense under Metro's general traffic penalty schedule (Metropolitan Code § 12.04.020), typically a citable fine plus court costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park in a Nashville bike lane to load or unload?
Can a driver cross a bike lane to turn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
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