Cyclists and drivers on Third Street will notice new symbols painted on the pavement: the City of Elmhurst has installed sharrow markings along the corridor, signaling that the road is part of the city's bike network and that motorists should expect to share the lane.

The city also extended the existing bike lane on Addison Avenue, which previously ended at Second Street, northward to Third Street, according to the Elmhurst Independent. A contractor hired by the city completed both projects.

So what's a sharrow? Short for "shared-lane arrow," it's a road marking that alerts drivers they are on a designated bike route. Unlike a dedicated bike lane, it does not separate cyclists from traffic but reminds all users to coexist.

Both improvements are part of Elmhurst's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, a broader roadmap that includes a one-way buffered bike lane on Addison Avenue among its planned upgrades. The markings represent the latest visible step in the city's push to build out cycling infrastructure.

The work comes as Elmhurst advances several other bike and pedestrian projects. On Monday, Aug. 10, the Public Works and Buildings Committee voted 3-0 to approve a draft report for a state funding application for a 10-foot-wide, three-quarter-mile sidepath along Church Road in the city's northwest industrial area. City Engineer Ted Sianis presented the proposal, which carries a $1.3 million price tag, would improve access to Berens Park and could connect to neighboring Bensenville if Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program funding is secured.

Separately, the city is constructing a bridge over Route 83 just north of North Avenue that will link Cricket Creek Forest Preserve to east-side neighborhoods. Completion is expected by fall 2026, according to Suburban Chicago Bicycling.

The Church Road sidepath application still needs full City Council approval before the city can submit it to the state.