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Spotsylvania County, VA Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Prohibited vehicles
Motorcycles, minibikes, ATVs, mopeds, motorbikes
Allowed
Bicycles, wheelchairs, mobility apparatus
Penalty
Class 2 misdemeanor (Sec. 12-22(b))
Trail authority
Established under Sec. 2-11
Adopted
Ord. No. 12-11, 5-25-93
Scope
County trails only, not on-street bike lanes

Summary

Spotsylvania County bars motorcycles, ATVs, mopeds, minibikes and other motor vehicles from any bicycle and pedestrian trail the county has established for public use, under County Code Sec. 12-22, reserving those trails for bicycles, pedestrians and wheelchairs. A conviction is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Spotsylvania County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(a)No person shall operate a vehicle, other than a bicycle, on any bicycle and pedestrian trail established by the county for public use. For the purposes of this section, vehicles shall include, but not be limited to motorcycles, minibikes, all-terrain vehicles, mopeds, motorbikes, motor vehicles and the like. Vehicles shall not include a wheel chair or other apparatus specifically designed for the transportation of any person with a physical handicap.(b)Any person convicted of violating this section shall be guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

Full Breakdown

The county's bicycle and pedestrian trail system is authorized separately under Sec. 2-11, and Sec. 12-22 protects trails built under that authority from motorized use. The prohibition sweeps in any vehicle other than a bicycle, and the section specifically lists motorcycles, minibikes, all-terrain vehicles, mopeds, motorbikes and motor vehicles as examples of what is barred; the only vehicles carved out of the ban are wheelchairs and other apparatus built to transport a person with a physical handicap. 2 of the Code of Virginia under Sec.

12-2, Sec. 12-22 is a standalone county rule enacted by its own ordinance, Ord. No. 12-11 in 1993, so it applies specifically to the trail network rather than to public roads or striped on-street bike lanes. 2, an older statute number carried over from a prior recodification of Virginia's local government code. Because Sec. 12-22 addresses shared-use paths rather than roadway bike lanes, a cyclist or driver using a striped on-street lane is instead governed by the general rules of the road adopted under Sec.

12-2, not by this trail-specific section. The sheriff's office enforces the trail restriction alongside its other traffic duties, and the section applies uniformly to every trail segment the county has established, without a trail-by-trail exception list in the ordinance itself.

Violations & Fines

A person convicted of operating a motorcycle, moped, ATV, minibike or other motor vehicle on a county bicycle and pedestrian trail is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor under Sec. 12-22(b). The sheriff's office enforces the trail restriction as part of its general traffic enforcement duties, and each unauthorized ride on a trail is a separate, chargeable offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ride a motorcycle or ATV on a Spotsylvania County bike trail?
No. Sec. 12-22 bans any vehicle other than a bicycle from a county-established bicycle and pedestrian trail, expressly naming motorcycles, minibikes, all-terrain vehicles, mopeds and motorbikes as prohibited vehicles, and violating the ban is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Are wheelchairs allowed on county bike trails?
Yes. Sec. 12-22(a) specifically excludes wheelchairs and other apparatus designed to transport a person with a physical handicap from its definition of a prohibited "vehicle," so they remain permitted on the trail alongside bicycles and pedestrians.
Does Sec. 12-22 cover striped bike lanes on regular roads?
No. The section applies to bicycle and pedestrian trails the county establishes under Sec. 2-11, not to on-street bike lanes; a cyclist or driver using a striped roadway lane is instead governed by the general traffic rules the county adopted from Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia under Sec. 12-2.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Spotsylvania County

All Spotsylvania County rules

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