The physical space for each bicycle is determined by the width of the widest portion of the bicycle which is typically the handlebars or the wheelbase on adult tricycles, child trailers, or adult box bicycles. To accommodate most bicyclists, it is recommended that the target design user be an adult bicyclist operating with a trailer to establish the following minimum physical space dimensions:

shows the operating space for the bicyclist described above. The minimum operating space for a bicyclist is 42-in. To provide additional shy space to other users or vertical objects, a minimum of 6-in of additional shy space is required. For this reason, operating space is generally assumed to be 48- in for a single direction of bicycle travel, and essentially functions as a “lane” of travel for a bicyclist as well as other Micromobility device users. This lane does not need to be marked on a bikeway unless it is operationally beneficial to do so. The bikeway width minimums provided in this guide account for the operating and shy spaces required for an adult bicyclist operating with a trailer.