Seattle SMC 11.40 plus the Bicycle Master Plan govern cyclists. Bikes follow vehicle traffic laws, may use protected and conventional bike lanes, and must yield in shared spaces. Seattle has 100+ miles of protected and neighborhood-greenway lanes.
Washington RCW 46.61.755 and Seattle SMC 11.40 establish bicycles as vehicles with the same rights and duties on roadways. Cyclists must ride with traffic, signal turns, yield to pedestrians on sidewalks where allowed, and equip lights and rear reflectors at night per RCW 46.61.780. Seattle's Bicycle Master Plan, last updated 2014 and refreshed by the 2024 Transportation Plan, prioritizes protected bike lanes (PBLs), neighborhood greenways, and trails. SMC 11.40.080 prohibits motor vehicles in marked bike lanes except briefly for turns or parking access. Helmet rules: King County repealed mandatory adult helmet law in 2022; minors still encouraged to wear them.
Driving or parking in a bike lane: traffic infraction, $103 base fine, more in school zones. Riding without lights at night: $30. Failure to yield to pedestrians: variable infraction.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA
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See how Seattle's bike lane rules rules stack up against other locations.
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