Bicycles
Wichita Falls Bronze-Level Bicycle
Friendly Community
On November 21, 2019, the League of American Bicyclists announced that it was honoring the efforts of Wichita Falls to build better places to bike with a Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award. The award recognized Wichita Falls for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit its residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.
The League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly America program sets the standard for how communities evaluate their quality of life, sustainability, and accessibility while allowing them to benchmark progress toward making biking better. With the latest round of 53 new and renewing awardees, there are currently 488 Bicycle Friendly Communities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Bronze BFC award recognizes Wichita Falls' commitment to improving conditions for all people who bike through investments in bike education programs, bike events that promote and encourage people to choose biking, pro-bike policies, and bike infrastructure.
Shared Use Lanes
The "Shared Use Lanes" were a part of the Bicycle Friendly initiative that awarded Wichita Falls the Bronze Level designation for being a Bicycle Friendly Community.
Funding from the 4B Board made this project possible and helped install 18 miles of the shared lane emblems on Midwestern/Callfield from US 281 to Fairway. It will also complete Fairway from Lake Wichita to Seymour Highway.
List of Do's and Dont's while on a bicycle
- Stop for stop signs and red lights
- Follow all traffic signs and traffic laws
- Go with the flow (of traffic)
- Use turn lanes and arm signals so cars know where you're going
- Follow the posted speed limit
- Don't block traffic in a travel lane
- Use lights when biking at night/in bad weather
- Yield right of way to cars and bike riders when you're entering roadways
- Don't use your phone while biking
- Do Not bike while intoxicated
- Watch out for tractor-trailers making wide right turns
Tips on how to pass a cyclist
- Keep at least three feet of space between you and the bike - more if possible
- Pass on the left
- Wait to pass until the traffic lane next to you is clear. This means
- On a two-lane highway, wait until the opposing lane is clear
- On roads with more than two lanes, wait until the traffic lane on your left is clear before changing lanes
- Be patient. You should pass when it's safe, even if this means driving behind a cyclist for a little while.
- Always check your blind spots for cyclists
- As always, pay special attention at a crosswalk
For more information click here
Bike Lanes
Based on a master plan developed in 2005, city officials have been working on a 24-mile Circle Trail around Wichita Falls and adding bike lanes as funding becomes available. These lanes are intended to remind drivers they are not the only ones on the road. These lanes allow cyclists to safely ride along Hamilton Boulevard from near the Country Club entrance to Hampstead. The bike lane along Hampstead will take riders from Hamilton to Taft Boulevard.
Bike Safe Program
The Bike Safe program is an educational program presented to local elementary schools to give children a better sense of biking and walking safety. The material covers stranger danger, looking left–right-left-behind when crossing the road, and the ABC Hand Check when riding a bike. We use a PowerPoint presentation with colorful engaging pictures to keep the students’ attention while making a lasting impression for them to use the new information given in real life. The presentation also has a fun science experiment at the end to really push the importance of wearing a helmet. Each year an estimated 1500 elementary students are reached in the surrounding school districts. It is a fun program that the children and staff always enjoy. To request this program at your school, please contact the Traffic Department at penny.whitley@wichitafallstx.gov or (940)761-7640
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
The City has been working the past few years to improve safety routes around schools for students. Some of the schools that received improvements were John Tower, City View ISD, and Southern Hills. The improvements that have been made include installing new sidewalks, school crossing zones, and handicap ramps for safe and easy access to the schools. As well as school flashers, speed limit signs, and other school zone signs to make drivers more aware of the school zones. We are constantly looking for ways we can better improve the safety of both students and drivers.