Meaning & use
bike lane
Last updated
UK/ˈbaɪk leɪn/
US/ˈbaɪk leɪn/
Meaning
nouncountable
A part of a road marked off for bicycles, often with paint or barriers, to keep riders apart from cars.
Grammar: Takes an article: a bike lane, the bike lane.
Patterns
- ride in the bike lane
- a bike lane on something
The city added a bike lane along Main Street.
A delivery truck was blocking the bike lane again.
She stays in the bike lane when she cycles to work.
Word forms
| plural | bike lanes |
|---|
Common combinations
- protected bike lane
- A protected bike lane has a barrier between bikes and cars.
- painted bike lane
- The painted bike lane is only a thin strip.
- ride in the bike lane
- Children ride in the bike lane on their way to school.
- block the bike lane
- Cars that block the bike lane can be fined.
- add a bike lane
- The council voted to add a bike lane on the bridge.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cycle lane
- Cycle lane means the same but is more common in British English.
- bike path
- A bike path is usually separate from the road, while a bike lane runs alongside traffic.
- cycleway
- A cycleway is a broader British term and can include off-road routes.
Word family
Commonly confused: bike lane or bike path?
bike lane vs bike path
A bike path is usually separated from roads, while a bike lane is part of the road.
Practice
Which place is a bike lane meant for?
Choose one answer.
A bike lane is the part of the road marked for bicycles. Pedestrians use sidewalks, and the others do not apply.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bike lane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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