Raleigh is testing a new way to put more than paint between bicyclists and drivers.

The city has installed bolt-down curb stops along portions of Industrial Drive as part of a pilot program designed to create more separation between vehicle travel lanes and bike lanes.

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The recycled-rubber barriers are part of Raleigh's broader effort to improve bicycle safety and determine whether more permanent vertical protection could work on other streets.

"There has been a priority to emphasize and deliver these protective bike infrastructure projects," said Natalie Carmen with the City of Raleigh.

Carmen said the barriers can also be installed relatively quickly and are much more cost-effective than concrete curbs.

"This is one of those quick build, quick installations. This particular project was installed in about a day and a half," she said.

Raleigh will study how the barriers work

On Industrial Drive, the curb stops have been installed within the existing bike lane buffer between East Six Forks Road and Front Street.

The city said it selected Industrial Drive because the corridor already has bike lanes, provides connections for cyclists and includes different types of driveways and street access points. Those conditions allow transportation staff to test different configurations while studying how the barriers affect both cyclists and drivers.

Before installation, the city found that Industrial Drive carries approximately 3,750 vehicles per day. The 85th-percentile speed — the speed at or below which 85% of drivers travel — was 33 mph.

Raleigh plans to collect another round of data approximately six to nine months after installation. Transportation staff will study driver behavior, driveway access, trash collection and the experience and safety of people using the bike lanes.

The city will also evaluate how well the curb stops hold up and what maintenance they could require over time.

Cyclists say physical separation matters

The pilot comes as crashes involving bicyclists remain a concern in Raleigh.

There have been 670 crashes involving bicycles in Raleigh since 2015, including 64 since September 2025.

Jacob Rex, a mechanic at Bike Library and a cyclist himself, said riding around the city can still feel dangerous.

"As a cyclist, I basically risk life every single day just trying to get the three or four miles to work," Rex said.

For Rex, the issue is also personal.

His younger sister was killed while biking home from work in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Oct. 12, 2024. Rex said she was struck by a drunk driver who was speeding and ran a stop sign.

Since her death, Rex has advocated for bicycle and pedestrian safety and said cities should look beyond painted bike lanes.

"Cities that really should prioritize their citizens' safety, not just motorists, should have fully separated bike lanes," Rex said.

Rex said he views Raleigh's curb stop pilot as progress but hopes physical protection eventually extends to more of the city's bicycle network, particularly around dangerous intersections and heavily traveled roads.

Raleigh's pilot will help determine whether the recycled-rubber barriers could provide that protection on a larger scale.

Other cities are also moving toward physical bike-lane separation. St. Louis, Missouri, for example, rolled out a similar program.

For Raleigh, the next several months will serve as the test. The city plans to publish its post-installation findings after collecting six to nine months of data.