Pavement Markings

Double solid yellow lines

mark the center of the road and separate traffic traveling in two different directions. Passing is not allowed in either direction. You may not cross the lines unless you are making a left turn or passing pedestrians, bicyclists, and riders of scooters or skateboards, when the opposite lane is clear and you can pass safely.

Yellow center lines

mean two-way traffic, flowing in opposite directions.

shared lane marking

or sharrow, consists of a bicycle symbol with a double chevron arrow above it and is used on travel lanes too narrow for motor vehicles and bicycles to share side-byside. Sharrows clarify where bicyclists are encouraged to ride in the lane and remind drivers to expect bicyclists on the road.

Solid white lines

show turn lanes and discourage lane changes near intersections, interchange/on- and off-ramps, and at other locations where lane changes might be dangerous. Solid white lines also mark the right edge of pavement. Arrows used with white lines indicate which turn may be made from the lane. Stop lines, crosswalks and parking spaces also are marked by white lines.

Broken white lines

separate lanes of traffic going in the same direction. You may change lanes with caution.

Three lane roads

If the center lane is marked by a single broken yellow line on both sides, drivers traveling in either direction may use the center lane for passing. If both sides of the center lane are marked by a solid yellow line and a broken yellow line, drivers traveling in either direction may use the lane for making left turns. However, they may not travel further than 150 feet in this lane.

White lane arrows are curved or straight

If you are in a lane marked with a curved arrow or a curved arrow and the word ONLY, you must turn in the direction of the arrow. If your lane is marked with both a curved and straight arrow, you may turn or go straight.

No lane markings

Many two-lane roads in Virginia do not have lane markings to separate the lanes. On an unmarked two-lane road, you may pass a slow moving vehicle on the left side if there are no signs prohibiting passing. Make sure that the way is clear.

Dotted white lines

are actually small rectangles in a series where each is closely spaced to the next. They are used to show lane assignment in intersections and interchanges where there might otherwise be a tendency to drift out of a lane or an area of intended use. Often they are used to guide two turning lanes through the intersection. Dotted white lines are also used to denote the opening of a turn lane at an intersection and entrance/exit lanes at interchanges.

Bicycle lanes

are indicated by a solid or dashed white line or green pavement markings, and a bicyclist symbol. A bicycle lane is for the preferential use of bicyclists. Drivers should not drive in the bicycle lane except when necessary to turn left or right. Before turning, check your mirrors for bicyclists that may be behind you and yield to bicycles in the lane.

High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) lanes

are marked on highways by a diamond shape in the center of the lane. HOV lanes may also be special lanes separated by a barrier or solid double white lines. During heavy traffic periods, HOV lanes are reserved for buses, vanpools, carpools, other high occupancy vehicles, motorcycles, and certain clean special fuel vehicles. Road signs show the minimum number of passengers a vehicle must carry (excluding motorcycles and clean fuel vehicles) to use the HOV lanes and the times that HOV restrictions are in effect. If the lanes are separated by a barrier, they are reversible. This means that during certain times of the day, traffic flows one way. During other times of the day, traffic flows in the opposite direction. A diamond-shaped marking may also indicate that the lane is reserved for use as a bus lane.

Bicycle boxes

are painted on the road at intersections. They contain a white bicycle symbol. Bike boxes and the bike lanes approaching and leaving the box may be painted green. Drivers must stop for a red traffic signal behind all bicycle boxes, not inside the box. Bicycle riders will move into the box in front of drivers at the intersection. Right turns on red are not allowed at these intersections. If turning right on a green light, drivers must signal and yield to bicycles on the right.

Yield line

is a line of triangles extending across the roadway that may be used with a yield sign to show the point at which you must yield or stop, if necessary. A yield line is often seen at the entrance of a roundabout.

Broken yellow center lines

mean that passing on the left is allowed in either direction when the way ahead is clear.

A broken yellow line alongside a solid yellow line

means that passing is allowed from the side of the broken line, but not from the side of the solid line. Vehicles on the solid yellow line side may only cross the line to pass pedestrians, bicyclists, and riders of scooters or skateboards, when the opposite lane is clear and you can pass safely.

Double solid white lines

separate lanes of traffic going in the same direction. Most often they are used to designate special use lane from conventional lanes, as when used to separate a High Occupancy Vehicle lanes from the other lanes of an expressway. You may not cross these lines. You may enter the designated special use lane only where signs and markings allow.