Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 46.61.770 (2026)

Riding on roadways and bicycle paths

✓ current as of May 2026

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(1) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place shall ride as near to the right side of the right through lane as is safe except:

(a) While preparing to make or while making turning movements at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;

(b) When approaching an intersection where right turns are permitted and there is a dedicated right turn lane, in which case a person may operate a bicycle in this lane even if the operator does not intend to turn right;

(d) When reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, animals, and surface hazards.

(2) A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway or highway other than a limited access highway, which roadway or highway carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near to the left side of the left through lane as is safe.

(3) A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway may use the shoulder of the roadway or any specially designated bicycle lane.

(4) When the operator of a bicycle is using the travel lane of a roadway with only one lane for traffic moving in the direction of travel and it is wide enough for a bicyclist and a vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within it, the bicycle operator shall operate far enough to the right to facilitate the movement of an overtaking vehicle unless other conditions make it unsafe to do so or unless the bicyclist is preparing to make a turning movement or while making a turning movement.

(5) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.

(6) This section does not apply on a shared street as defined in RCW 46.61.197.

[ 2025 c 300 s 6; 2019 c 403 s 10; 1982 c 55 s 7; 1974 ex.s. c 141 s 14; 1965 ex.s. c 155 s 83.]

Notes:

Rules of court: Monetary penalty schedule—IRLJ 6.2.

Finding—Intent—Effective date—2019 c 403: See notes following RCW 46.04.071.

Use of bicycles on limited access highways: RCW 46.61.160.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1982–2016 · leading case: Bordynoski v. Bergner, 644 P.2d 1173 (Wash. 1982).

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Bordynoski v. Bergner, 644 P.2d 1173 (Wash. 1982). “The subsequent leftward "slide" of bicycle and rider precludes a conclusion that Joey's earlier leftward movement was, as a matter of law, a proximate cause of the accident.”

Jewels v. City of Bellingham, 353 P.3d 204 (Wash. 2015). “See RCW 46.61.770(1) (“Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place shall ride as near to the right side of the right through lane as is safe.”

Pamela O'neill, V The City Of Port Orchard, 375 P.3d 709 (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). “Further, bicycles are subject to the same traffic laws as motorists and other vehicles when traveling on public roadways: Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a…”

Borromeo v. Shea, 156 P.3d 946 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 2× “755 and RCW 46.61.770. RCW 46.61.755 provides: (1) Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter, except as to special regulations in RCW 46.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.61.770(1) — 1 case

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