Bicycling in Youngstown

The following maps have been provided courtesy of a number of organizations, including the Outspokin' Wheelmen, the Ohio Bicycle Federation, the YSU Center for Urban and Regional Studies, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, and the Trumbull County Health Department.

Disclaimer: All routes and information shown on these maps are merely suggestions intended to advise competent adults and require caution and discretion on the part of the user. Users of these maps do so voluntarily and bear full responsibility for safety. The City of Youngstown, its employees, associates and volunteers disclaim any responsibility for injuries, damages, or losses resulting from use of the maps' information.

1. A bicycle is legally a vehicle, and cyclists have full LEGAL rights to the road. Cyclists must obey all traffic laws. Motorists must respect bicyclists as legal vehicle operators!
2. Ride on the right side of the road. NEVER ride facing traffic. A rear-view mirror is an inexpensive addition to your handlebar or helmet and will enable you to monitor what is happening behind you.
3. Obey traffic lights and stop signs. Always stop and yield before entering the road.
4. Never ride at night without a good headlight and taillight. Reflectors are not enough!
5. Watch the road surface! Most bike crashes are caused by gravel, slippery spots, potholes, drainage grates, etc.
6. Use extra care in the rain. Everything’s slippery, and bike brakes don’t work as well.
7. Use your right to the road! Gutter riding is dangerous! If the lane is wide enough to safely share, then ride far enough right to allow safe passing. If the lane is too narrow then ride further left, so motorists pass only when it’s safe. Ohio law allows you to control narrow lanes!
8. Use extra care at intersections. Ride lane-centered for visibility. Watch for turning cars.
9. Never ride within five feet of a parked car. Doors pop open without warning.
10. Left turns: Look back, signal, yield, move left toward the road center, then complete the turn when it’s clear. If there’s too much traffic, turn pedestrian-style: stop at the right curb just after the intersection, then cross leftward when traffic clears.
11. Use bike bags or a backpack. Packages carried or hanging can tangle in your spokes.
12. Use extra care when riding with other cyclists. Touching wheels will cause a fast crash!
13. Use extra care on paths and trails shared by walkers and children. They’ll surprise you!
14. Sidewalks are dangerous, with crash rates much higher than roads.
15. Keep your bike in shape, especially tires and brakes. Can’t fix it? Take it to a bike shop!
16. A helmet may prevent a nasty bump on the head. But don’t take risks because you’re wearing a helmet. Their protection is limited. It’s much better to avoid a crash!

Remember: Bicycling is a very safe activity, great for your health and the environment. But it's even safer when done correctly!

State of Ohio

Complete Ohio Revised Code Vehicle Laws

• § 4501.01. - Bicycles are legally vehicles!
• § 4511.07. - Local ordinances may not prohibit riding bicycles on the road, and cannot violate uniform rules of the road.
• § 4511.25. - Bicyclists must ride on the right half of the road, not facing traffic. They are not required to endanger themselves to let others pass.
• § 4511.27. - Bicycles must pass slower vehicles on the left. They may not needlessly obstruct passing vehicles.
• § 4511.31. - Motorists may cross a yellow line to pass bikes or other vehicles traveling less than half the speed limit, if it is safe to do so.
• § 4511.36. - Bicyclists must make turns from the appropriate side of their road or lane (i.e. no left turns from the right edge of the road).
• § 4511.39. - Bicyclists must signal their turns. Signal only once, and only when you can safely ride with one hand.
• § 4511.40. - Hand signals: "Slowing or stopping" is the hand and arm down and to the left. "Left turn" is the hand and arm pointing straight out to the left. "Right turn" is the right arm pointing straight out to the right, or the left arm extended up and pointing right.
• § 4511.52. - Bicyclists must follow traffic laws, and can be ticketed and fined when they don't. Violators may be required to take a bike safety course.
• § 4511.54. - Bicyclists may not hang on to motor vehicles to get towed.
• § 4511.55. - Bicyclists must keep right, but only as far right as is safe. They may ride away from the edge of the road whenever necessary for safety - for example, to prevent unsafe passing in a narrow lane, or to avoid surface hazards, car doors that may open, or other objects. Bicyclists are permitted to ride two abreast, but no more than two abreast.
• § 4511.56. - Bikes used at night must have a white headlight, a red taillight and a red rear reflector, which may be part of the taillight. Bikes must have an adequate brake.
• § 4511.711. - Local authorities can prohibit sidewalk bicycling.

City of Youngstown

Codified Ordinances of the City of Youngstown

• Section 303.06 - Bicycles may not be ridden on freeways.
• Section 371.07 - Bicyclists must yield right of way to pedestrians on sidewalks.
• Section 373.02 - Ride only on a proper bike seat, and keep at least one hand on the handlebars.
• Section 373.08 - Reckless operation of bicycles is prohibited.
• Section 373.09 - Bikes can't be parked where they interfere with pedestrian or vehicle traffic.
• Section 373.10 - Ordinances for motorized bicycles are much more strict.
• Section 373.13 - Bikes may not be ridden on sidewalks or jogging paths in Wick Park.

In addition to the portions of the Mill Creek Metroparks roads that are reserved for pedestrians and bicycles, Youngstown is located within a 30-minute drive of six asphalt "rail-to-trail" paths, including five segments of the Great Ohio Lake-To-River Greenway:

• Garrett Wonders Bike Trail
• Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail
• MetroParks Bikeway
• Niles Greenway
• Stavich Bicycle Trail
• Western Reserve Greenway

If you prefer a challenging ride or are training for competition, Youngstown provides plenty of routes with hills and steep grades:

• Streets that head away from the Mahoning River or Downtown tend to have significant grades, with Gypsy Lane being a prime example (223 feet steady climb to the summit, over a 2/3 mile span from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard).
• Miles of roads in Mill Creek MetroParks include hills with significant climbs, especially north of Lake Newport. Of particular interest is the East Cohasset Hike and Bike Trail, with seemingly endless climbs and descents. Closed to motor vehicle traffic, the road is a favorite of bicyclists.

• CycWard Bike Shop
• Donna's Bicycle Shop
• Frankford Bicycle Inc.
• Outdoor Recreational Equipment
• Thumm's
• Trailside Bicycle Company

• Out-Spokin' Wheelmen
• Ohio Bicycle Federation
• American Bicycling Education Association

• 2010 Regional Bicycle Plan
• Bicycling Street Smarts: Riding Confidently, Legally and Safely
• Bicycling Life
• Sheldon Brown
• Kickstand Comics