St. Pete’s CityTrails are paths and facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. They include bicycle lanes, bicycle routes, recreational trails, sidewalks, crosswalks, and other devices that assist people in getting around St. Petersburg without a motor vehicle. Thousands of St. Pete residents and visitors bike or walk around our city for health, recreation, or as their primary means of transportation. 

Use the St. Pete Bike Map to find shared-use trails and developed routes throughout the city. 

Creating Safe Streets

St. Pete has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Silver-Level Bicycle Friendly City for its attention to promoting, educating, and investing in bicycle friendliness. The ranking elevates St. Pete from a Bronze Level, which it’s held since 2006.

Utilizing the Complete Streets Implementation plan as a guide, the City continues to identify opportunities to expand the walkability and bicycle-friendly nature of St. Pete’s streets, as well as assess how to make them safer and more accessible. The Coast Bike Share program, bike-friendly events such as Open Streets St. Pete, and increased miles of bike lanes and trails, and added crosswalks are all examples of the City’s commitment to supporting more sustainable, people-powered modes of transportation.

• Bicycle Friendly Business Program
  The Bicycle Friendly Business program recognizes employers for their efforts to encourage a more welcoming atmosphere for employees, customers, and community members who ride bicycles.
• Register Your Bike
  Obtain a registration for your bike through the SPPD. 
• Smart Cycling Video Series 
  Find the right bike and gear, understand how to ride safely and comfortably, and learn your rights as a bicyclist. 

BICYCLING SAFETY & SHARED LANE MARKINGS

Shared lane markings, or “sharrows,” tell us that cars and bikes are sharing the road and help build a comprehensive network of bicycle routes in St. Pete.

BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN LAWS

In Florida, the bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle. Bicyclists have the same rights to the roadways, and must obey the same traffic laws, as the operators of other vehicles. These laws include stopping for stop signs, obeying traffic signals and red lights, riding with the flow of traffic, using lights at night, and yielding the right-of-way when entering a roadway.

There is only one road and it is up to bicyclists and motorists to treat each other with care and respect. Strict adherence to the law is the foundation for this respect.

A summary of the sections of code pertaining to bicyclists is below. For the official version, please refer to the city code. You can also reference Florida Bike Traffic Laws. 

ST. PETE BICYCLE-RELATED ORDINANCES

License Requirements
Every person residing within the city owning or having in their possession any bicycle shall register such bicycle with the St. Petersburg Police Department.

• This section shall not apply to retail sellers of new or secondhand bicycles when the bicycles are for sale to the public.
• This section shall not apply to persons who are not residents of the city who have in their possession bicycles in the city. If non-residency cannot be established, it shall be presumed that the person is a resident of the city.

Sidewalk Riding
A bicyclist may ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk, except at those locations where signs indicate that it is prohibited, but shall not impede pedestrian traffic.

Bicycle Parking
Bicycles should be parked in a bicycle rack, and should be parked in a manner to provide the least obstruction to pedestrians as possible.

About This Guide

We want riding a bicycle to be a comfortable part of daily life for people of all ages and abilities. St. Pete offers a connected grid of quiet streets, bike lanes, and trails, making it an excellent place for recreational riders and cycling commuters alike. 

As our city continues to grow, we aim to provide safe, affordable, and connected transportation options for people who live, work, and play in St. Pete. 

For more information on bicycling safety and plans to improve bicycling in St. Pete, please visit stpete.org/CompleteStreets

To report any maintenance issues, please use SeeClickFix.com.

Riviera Bay Collective

Bicyclists are considered vehicles and must follow the same rules of the road as all other vehicles, which includes riding on the right hand side in the direction of traffic and following all traffic signs and signals.

Bicyclists are legally allowed to ride in the center of traffic lanes in St. Pete when there is no bike lane.

Bicycles may also be legally operated on any sidewalk in St. Pete, though they must yield to anyone on foot and follow all pedestrian rules and signals.

Always ride in a straight line with the flow of traffic. Do not weave in and out of parked vehicles, at driveways, or at side streets.

Use the travel lane that serves your destination, moving into or out of turn lanes well in advance.

Green paint highlights potential conflict areas with motor vehicles at intersections and driveways.

Some bicyclists may find it more comfortable to complete left turns in two steps – first proceed straight through the intersection and wait for the signal at the front of the appropriate travel lane on the cross street to complete the left turn. Green rectangular “bike boxes” may be painted on the roadway to indicate the proper location to wait.