Merced County, CA Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited on bike paths
- Motor vehicles, animal-drawn vehicles, ridden animals
- Penalty classification
- Misdemeanor
- Maximum fine
- $1,000
- Maximum jail term
- 6 months
- Bikeway obstruction bail
- $238.00 (CVC 21211)
- Governing ordinance
- Ord. 765, 1975
Summary
On designated bicycle paths and trails in unincorporated Merced County, motor vehicles, animal-drawn vehicles, and ridden or driven horses, mules, or other animals are banned outright. Violating the restriction is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in County Jail.
No person shall operate any motor vehicle, or any animal-drawn vehicle or ride or drive any horse, mule or other animal upon any bicycle path or bicycle trail.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
010 as a specifically designated bicycle travel area set apart from the road by an intervening space or physical barrier so it is not contiguous with the paved shoulder. 020 then restricts use of any such bicycle path or trail: no person may operate a motor vehicle, operate an animal-drawn vehicle, or ride or drive a horse, mule, or other animal on it. The chapter dates to Ordinance 765 from 1975 and has not been amended since. 030, which makes any violation of the chapter a misdemeanor, distinct from the infraction-level penalties used for many other county traffic and parking rules.
020 sets a $238 local bail for obstruction of bikeways under Vehicle Code Section 21211, which covers placing or leaving materials, equipment, or obstructions in a bicycle lane on a public roadway. 28 protects separated bicycle paths and trails from motorized and animal traffic, while the bikeway-obstruction citation under the bail schedule addresses interference with painted, on-road bicycle lanes.
Violations & Fines
Operating a motor vehicle, an animal-drawn vehicle, or riding or driving a horse, mule, or other animal on a designated bicycle path or trail is a misdemeanor under Section 11.28.030, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment in County Jail for up to six months, or both. Obstructing a bikeway under Vehicle Code Section 21211 carries a separate $238 county bail under the Section 5.78.020 schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ride a horse on the bicycle path in unincorporated Merced County?
What is the penalty for driving a vehicle on a county bike path?
Is blocking a painted bike lane on the road the same violation as using a bike path?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced County to another location·View the California mobility & curb rules overview
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