The updated resource includes new routes, safety information and electric mobility regulations
By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org
The City of Davis recently announced the release of its newly updated bike map. The map displays the city’s network of bike lanes, shared-use paths, off-street trails and recommended routes, providing residents with a vital resource that makes it more accessible to get around Davis.
The front side of the map depicts multiple routes, as well as locations of key landmarks including Davis City Hall, Davis Senior Center, Davis Arts Center and more. The reverse side of the map includes useful resources for commuters, including rules of the road and key traffic laws, resources and contacts for local mobility and community organizations, guidance on electric devices as well as a Davis Bike Loop feature.
Cory Frost, active transportation coordinator for the City of Davis, and Jennifer Donofrio, senior transportation planner, explained the city’s goals behind updating their bike map at this time.
“The city updates the Davis Bike Map periodically to ensure it reflects current conditions,” Frost and Donofrio said via email. “This includes changes to bicycle infrastructure, updates to laws and rules of the road and refreshed safety tips and supplemental resources included on the map. The previous edition was published in 2019, and given how much has changed since then, it was the right time for a comprehensive update.”
They described the most significant changes compared to the previous version of the map.
“One of the most significant updates was a new focus on electric devices,” Frost and Donofrio said. “E-bikes, e-scooters and other electric mobility devices have become increasingly popular in Davis, and it was important for the map to reflect these changing mobility trends. The updated map includes information on laws that apply specifically to e-bikes and e-scooters, as well as a new table that clearly explains how different device types relate to California regulations, including helmet requirements, licensing and what types of infrastructure each device is allowed to use.”
A few of these include regulatory laws surrounding driver’s license and helmet requirements, along with pathways and bike lanes. The laws include specifications for each vehicle, ranging from human-powered bikes to Class 1 and 2 e-bikes to electric carts.
Donofrio and Frost explained how the updated map seeks to reflect the planned bicycle improvement in the City of Davis.
“The updated map reflects all existing bicycle infrastructure within the City of Davis and on the UC Davis campus,” Donofrio and Frost said. “In addition, we introduced a hatched pattern to identify areas that are currently under construction. This was done to acknowledge ongoing and planned developments in both the city and the university that will result in future bicycle infrastructure improvements. Since the map is updated every few years, this approach allows us to highlight what’s coming while clearly indicating that those facilities are not yet open or available on the date the map was published.”
Donofrio and Frost gave insight into the map development process and which community groups were involved in its creation.
“A range of stakeholders were involved in the update process, including
community members and local bicycle advocacy organizations,” Donofrio and Frost said. “Once a draft version of the map was completed, it was shared with this group for feedback. We received input from multiple perspectives, which helped us better understand what users find most useful and important. That feedback directly informed the final product, leading to changes such as adjustments to colors, wording, and overall clarity.”
Copies of the updated Davis Active Transportation Map are now available in several locations, including Davis City Hall, the Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch Library, the Davis Senior Center and many local bike shops. The city encourages residents to grab a copy and enjoy exploring Davis.
Donofrio and Frost explained how they hope that residents and visitors will utilize the updated bike map.
“The City hopes residents and visitors use the bike map as a practical tool for
getting around Davis,” Donofrio and Frost said. “The map highlights a wide range of route options and infrastructure types, allowing people to choose what feels most comfortable for them — whether that’s completely off-street paths, on-street bike lanes or a mix of both. It also serves as an educational and reminder tool for rules of the road and safety information, particularly related to electric devices. Even experienced riders can benefit from having this information easily accessible on the back of the map.”
Written By: Alma Culverwell— city@theaggie.org
