New Bike Lanes Causing Confusion Near Elementary School

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FORT WORTH (CBS11) - Trace Ridge Parkway next to Lone Star Elementary School in north Fort Worth has undergone a dramatic facelift since parents last picked up their children from school several months ago.

Drivers suddenly find themselves looking at a green crosswalk, two lanes of bike paths extended into the street and change the flow of traffic.

There's concern it will be hectic first day of school next week with cars, bikes and pedestrians dealing with all of these changes.

"The bold yellow lines are new, the solid lines, the hashmarks in the bike lanes, the bumps," said Shari Mayhew who lives across the street from the school. "I see it every day and I'm confused by it."

It's obvious there are new bike lanes and new markings on the streets around Lone Star Elementary. But it's also obvious drivers don't know what they're supposed to do.

"No,I really don't," said Alex Rawlinson as she sat in her SUV at an intersection looking at green crosswalks. "I have yet to learn about them. At the moment no. In fact he was just asking me earlier what's the green for? I have no idea. Not yet."

Its not just drivers. CBS11 saw bicyclists who didn't know to stay on the path, along with pedestrians who thought the bike path was a walkway.

"I'm seeing people honking at people or still going halfway across the intersection and hurrying people through the intersection and stuff," said William Treadway, part of the work crew putting finishing touches on the new bike lanes.

The green paths are like crosswalks for bikes. Cars are supposed to yield the right-of-way to both bicyclists and pedestrians here and not block their path.

The school is trying to get word out to parents about the new rules on the road. Also, a homeowners association is hiring officers to help direct traffic for the first weeks of school, hoping everyone gets up to speed on the changes without anyone getting hurt.

"I think it will be a good thing as far as directing traffic because before it was kind of a free-for-all," said Jill Hair who lives nearby. "So I think the lanes hopefully keep people where they need to be going."

To find out the rules of protected bike lanes in Fort Worth, click here.

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