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Pavement markings and warning stencils for trails and bikeways

In addition to signs, trail managers often use painted messages directly on the pavement. Many types of messages can be communicated to people walking, bicycling, and skating by stenciling directly on the paved surface just as engineers provide for roadway users. They are used mostly on concrete and asphalt bikeways, walkways, or other shared-use transportation facilities. The types of "signs" are warnings, directions, speed limits, crossings, or to delineate the route across an expanse of paving. It is also common to use a soid or dotted center stripe to mark the lanes on two-way trails. See a variety of examples of these types of pavement markings:

Click on any photo to see it full size:

(Commentary and photos by Stuart Macdonald, September 2009)

Trail stencil showing pedestrians only on this trail; Bayside trail in Seattle's Alki neighborhood; photo by Stuart Macdonald, Sept. 4, 2008

San Diego Bay trail along Convention Center where bikes are restricted to a lane in broad pedestrian esplanade

Typical arrows showing lanes for trail users, Schuykill River Trail, Philadelphia; photo by Stuart Macdonald, October 6, 2008.

Pedestrians are cautioned as they cross bikeway; Burke Gilman Trail on University of Washington, Seattle; photo by Stuart Macdonald, July 15, 2007.

Lanes are marked by arrows and yellow center line, Cherry Creek Trail, Denver, CO; photo by Stuart Macdonald, Feb. 1, 2002.

Cherry Creek Trail narrows on ramp to cross under University Ave., Denver, CO; photo by Stuart Macdonald

Pavement markings warn cyclists to slow down approaching congested area, Cherry Creek Trail, Denver, CO; photo by Stuart Macdonald, Feb. 1, 2002.

Cherry Creek Trail becomes a road-side facility with lots of pedestrian traffic at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver, CO; photo by Stuart Macdonald, Feb. 1, 2002.

Bicyclists are warned that pedestrian route goes down stairway, Cherry Creek Trail, Denver, CO; photo by Stuart Macdonald, Feb. 1, 2002.

Bikeway is delineated across pedestrian plaza at University of MN, Minneapollis; photo by Stuart Macdonald, May 14, 2007.

Diverging routes of bikeway are marked at University of MN, Minneapollis; photo by Stuart Macdonald, May 14, 2007.

Skaters also use bikeway through pedestrian plaza at University of MN, Minneapollis; photo by Stuart Macdonald, May 14, 2007.

San Diego trail shares right-of-way with active railroad line; arrow warns of jog in trail to cross upcoming roadway; photo by Stuart Macdonald, Dec. 16, 2006.

This beachfront shared-use path has been widened and heavily marked to keep walkers and runners to left.

Bike stencil indicating lane is for bicycle use only; Mission Beach trail, San Diego

"Feet" stencil indicating lane is for use by walkers and runners only; Mission Beach trail, San Diego

Routes are heavily striped where trail diverges onto bridge at Parleys Canyon, Salt Lake City; photo by Stuart Macdonald, September 23, 2007.

Lanes are marked as trail descends hill along retaining wall at Parleys Canyon, Salt Lake City; photo by Stuart Macdonald, September 23, 2007.