Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
North Carolina

A Pumpkin-Protected Bike Lane on All Hallows’ Eve

Volunteers with Bike Durham protected a vital bike lane with pumpkins for Halloween on Thursday. Photo: Shaun King/Visual Rituals

The advocacy group Bike Durham carried out a bit of guerrilla “tactical urbanism,” placing over 50 carved jack-o’-lanterns in the buffer zone of a painted bike lane on Broad Street, one of the city’s main north-south corridors. The action was a rebuke to city government for failing to install a protected bike lane when they resurfaced Broad street last summer, as detailed by Streetsblog.

Bike Durham organizers came up with the idea of using pumpkins after reading about activists in other cities using tomatoes, red Solo cups, and toilet plungers as DIY barriers. The pumpkins are about the same size as the new “armadillo” dividers that some cities are using to make bike lanes safer.

The murderer’s row of cheery orange spheroids was dropped into place just before the afternoon rush hour. Numerous passers-by stopped for pictures; one stopped to help himself to a free pumpkin. The rest remained on the street as darkness fell, just before a thunderstorm ended the night early for trick-or-treaters. No pumpkins were smashed, though one was brushed by a car and tipped over.

Photo: Shaun King/Visual Rituals
Photo: Shaun King/Visual Rituals
Photo: Shaun King/Visual Rituals

Bicycle commuters using the lane were surprised to find it protected, however temporarily. “It’s amazing how much more comfortable it felt to be separated from cars by these little bumps in the road,” said Bike Durham member Marc Maximov. The scary symbols of Halloween made riding on the street a lot less scary.

Here’s a video of the event, made by Shaun King of Bike Durham.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: The London Neighborhood Where Bikes Outnumber Cars

...and how they got to that impressive milestone.

July 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Battle Galactus

Like the Marvel supervillain, U.S. interstate highway system seems to eat up everything in his path. A new book explores how to stop it.

July 11, 2025

New Report Shows Pedestrian Fatalities Drop — But Experts Say Not Enough

The Governors Highway Safety Association report showed a 4 percent drop in the number of pedestrian deaths last year, putting a slow on a dangerous trend — but advocates say the drop isn't nearly big enough.

July 11, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: Localities Subsidize the State DOT

Adie Tomer of Brookings on how to improve regional coordination around infrastructure.

July 10, 2025

Five of the Ugliest Transportation Policies In the ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill

Here's a rundown of some of the transportation provisions in the Republicans' reconciliation package, and what they might mean for your community.

July 10, 2025

Viva La Thursday’s Headlines

Why is French transit ridership up 10 percent since before the pandemic, while American transit ridership is down 23 percent?

July 10, 2025
See all posts