A new type of bike lane is coming to a busy stretch of Fowler Avenue in Tampa.
They're called enhanced bike lanes, and according to Michele Ogilvie with the Metropolitan Planning Organization in Tampa, it's a big deal.
"It makes a difference because it's about twice as wide as the ones that we see here on Fowler today, and it allows people to feel safe," Ogilvie said.
Currently there are two types of bike lanes in Tampa.
The newest, called sharrow lanes, are markings which tell drivers and cyclists that they are the share the existing lane. They are designed for roads marked at speeds of less than 40 miles-per-hour.
The standard bike lane is for roads with higher speeds. These are found on most roads. They are four feet wide and separated from mainline traffic with a solid white line.
The new lanes for Fowler Avenue will be twice as wide, nearly eight feet each, completely designated for bikes. Ogilvie said they're much safer
Three lanes of through traffic will remain for Fowler Avenue after the new lanes are complete, however, a small part of the width of each lane will be used to create the enhanced bike lanes.
"What we've seen from other places like Chicago, out west in Portland...the data does show that they raise safety for the bicyclists significantly," Ogilvie said.
F.D.O.T. has planned a resurfacing project for Fowler Avenue between I-75 and USF next spring. As that project continues the new bike lanes will be included in the work.