Figure 1: Colored Bike Lane/Bike Box
Treatment
All graphics by PDOT
(Click to enlarge)

Yesterday the San Francisco Bike Coalition pointed me to a new safety initiative in Portland. Dubbed the “bike box”, city planners are experimenting with dedicating a large area in front of intersections just for bicycles.

Portland is routinely ahead of most cities for bike support, so it’s not to surprising that they are behind this project. Apparently the death of a couple cyclists was the catalyst for getting bike boxes off the ground.

BikePortland.org offers a terrific detailed post by the coordinator of the bikr box project:

“The design we propose consists of three main elements: a bicycle lane that is colored as it approaches the intersection, a bicycle box at the intersection, and a colored bicycle lane leading away through the intersection.

Other elements will include signing that alerts motorists to the presence of the bicycle lane and expected motor vehicle and bicycle movements through the intersection, a prohibition against turning right on a red signal, and, where feasible or considered necessary, flashing warning signing triggered by the presence of a cyclist approaching the intersection.

This practice of using color to define a cyclist’s path through an intersection is a common design feature in the bicycle-friendly cities of Denmark, The Netherlands, and Germany. It is also common in those countries to keep cyclists to the right of the roadway — in their own designated space-and to the right of right-turning motorists. Why? Because, those countries have determined, through the repeated feedback from their citizens and following decades of experimenting and refining their designs, policies, and approaches to managing traffic, that people riding bicycles want to stay separated from motor vehicles.”

Photo by: Matt.Picio