A bike box is a designated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection that provides bicyclists with a safe and visible way to get ahead of queuing traffic during the red signal phase.
Click on the images below to view 3D concepts of a bike box. The configurations shown are based on Columbus, OH, Madison, WI, and Portland, OR, bike boxes.
“Despite positioning themselves further from the intersection, motorists were observed to give bicyclists the right-of-way more often with the presence of the bicycle box.” Brady, J., Mills, A., Loskorn, J., Duthie, j., Machemehl, R., Center for Transportation Research. (2010). Effects of Bicycle Boxes on Bicyclist and Motorist Behavior at Intersections. The City of Austin.
“Despite positioning themselves further from the intersection, motorists were observed to give bicyclists the right-of-way more often with the presence of the bicycle box.”
Brady, J., Mills, A., Loskorn, J., Duthie, j., Machemehl, R., Center for Transportation Research. (2010). Effects of Bicycle Boxes on Bicyclist and Motorist Behavior at Intersections. The City of Austin.
This is especially important in areas with high volumes of right-turning vehicles and/or trucks, whose high cabs make it difficult to see a bicyclist on the right, and who begin their turning maneuvers by going straight, which can deceive a bicyclist into thinking the truck is not turning. “Cyclists travelling straight ahead were found to be able to position themselves in front of the traffic thus reducing the risk of conflict with … turning vehicles.” Allen, D., S. Bygrave, and H. Harper. (2005). Behaviour at Cycle Advanced Stop Lines (Report No. PPR240). Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
This is especially important in areas with high volumes of right-turning vehicles and/or trucks, whose high cabs make it difficult to see a bicyclist on the right, and who begin their turning maneuvers by going straight, which can deceive a bicyclist into thinking the truck is not turning.
“Cyclists travelling straight ahead were found to be able to position themselves in front of the traffic thus reducing the risk of conflict with … turning vehicles.”
Allen, D., S. Bygrave, and H. Harper. (2005). Behaviour at Cycle Advanced Stop Lines (Report No. PPR240). Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“The video data showed that motorist encroachment into the pedestrian crosswalk fell significantly compared to the control intersection. … This reduction of motor vehicles entering the crosswalk area has the potential to improve pedestrian safety” Monsere, C., & Dill, J. (2010). Evaluation of Bike Boxes at Signalized Intersections. Final Draft. Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium.
“The video data showed that motorist encroachment into the pedestrian crosswalk fell significantly compared to the control intersection. … This reduction of motor vehicles entering the crosswalk area has the potential to improve pedestrian safety”
Monsere, C., & Dill, J. (2010). Evaluation of Bike Boxes at Signalized Intersections. Final Draft. Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium.
“All vehicles that encroached at control sites went into the pedestrian crossing, compared with 12% at [bike box] sites, indicating that [a bike box] can provide a buffer zone that discourages vehicles from blocking the pedestrian crossing.” Allen, D., S. Bygrave, and H. Harper. (2005). Behaviour at Cycle Advanced Stop Lines. Report No. PPR240. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“All vehicles that encroached at control sites went into the pedestrian crossing, compared with 12% at [bike box] sites, indicating that [a bike box] can provide a buffer zone that discourages vehicles from blocking the pedestrian crossing.”
Allen, D., S. Bygrave, and H. Harper. (2005). Behaviour at Cycle Advanced Stop Lines. Report No. PPR240. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“Feedback from the public indicates that eight feet is not large enough to comfortably maneuver into the box.” Brady, J., Mills, A., Loskorn, J., Duthie, j., Machemehl, R., Center for Transportation Research. (2010). Effects of Bicycle Boxes on Bicyclist and Motorist Behavior at Intersections. The City of Austin.
“Feedback from the public indicates that eight feet is not large enough to comfortably maneuver into the box.”
“The two stop lines must be between 4 and 5m apart; the area between them across the full width of the approach is available for cyclists who wait at the rest light.” Allen, D., S. Bygrave, and H. Harper. (2005). Behaviour at Cycle Advanced Stop Lines. Report No. PPR240. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“The two stop lines must be between 4 and 5m apart; the area between them across the full width of the approach is available for cyclists who wait at the rest light.”
“Use of bold demarcation of the box is vital. This could involve wider striping than the norm or perhaps painting the box a bright color.” Hunter, W. W. (2000). Evaluation of Innovative Bike-Box Application in Eugene, Oregon. Transportation Research Record, 1705, 99-106.
“Use of bold demarcation of the box is vital. This could involve wider striping than the norm or perhaps painting the box a bright color.”
Hunter, W. W. (2000). Evaluation of Innovative Bike-Box Application in Eugene, Oregon. Transportation Research Record, 1705, 99-106.
“In regards to motorist stopping behavior, the percentage of motorists that encroached on the stop line decreased significantly with the implementation of the skeleton [uncolored] bicycle box.” Brady, J., Mills, A., Loskorn, J., Duthie, j., Machemehl, R., Center for Transportation Research. (2010). Effects of Bicycle Boxes on Bicyclist and Motorist Behavior at Intersections. The City of Austin.
“The motorist survey revealed a strong preference for color. In addition, cyclists appear to use the box more as intended with the color, which should increase their visibility and improve safety.” Monsere, C., & Dill, J. (2010). Evaluation of Bike Boxes at Signalized Intersections. Final Draft. Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium.
“The motorist survey revealed a strong preference for color. In addition, cyclists appear to use the box more as intended with the color, which should increase their visibility and improve safety.”
Support for Colored Pavement in Bike Lanes
“Significantly more motorists yielded to bicyclists after the blue pavement had been installed (92 percent in the after period versus 72 percent in the before period.” Hunter, W.W. et al. (2000). Evaluation of Blue Bike-Lane Treatment in Portland, Oregon. Transportation Research Record, 1705, 107-115.
“Significantly more motorists yielded to bicyclists after the blue pavement had been installed (92 percent in the after period versus 72 percent in the before period.”
Hunter, W.W. et al. (2000). Evaluation of Blue Bike-Lane Treatment in Portland, Oregon. Transportation Research Record, 1705, 107-115.
“Best estimates for safety effects of one blue cycle crossing in a junction are a reduction of 10% in accidents and 19% in injuries.” Jensen, S. U. (2008). Safety effects of blue cycle crossings: A before-after study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 40(2), 742-750.
“Best estimates for safety effects of one blue cycle crossing in a junction are a reduction of 10% in accidents and 19% in injuries.”
Jensen, S. U. (2008). Safety effects of blue cycle crossings: A before-after study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 40(2), 742-750.
“It appears that [ingress lanes] provide cyclists with a considerable advantage in legally accessing [the bike box].” The site with no feeder lane “clearly showed that many cyclists were unable to reach the reservoir.” Atkins Services. (2005). Advanced Stop Line Variations Research Study. Report No. 503 1271. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“It appears that [ingress lanes] provide cyclists with a considerable advantage in legally accessing [the bike box].” The site with no feeder lane “clearly showed that many cyclists were unable to reach the reservoir.”
Atkins Services. (2005). Advanced Stop Line Variations Research Study. Report No. 503 1271. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“Two of the sites with distinctly coloured feeder lanes had lower levels of encroachment suggesting that colour differentiation may reduce levels of encroachment.” Allen, D., S. Bygrave, and H. Harper. (2005). Behaviour at Cycle Advanced Stop Lines. Report No. PPR240. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit.
“Two of the sites with distinctly coloured feeder lanes had lower levels of encroachment suggesting that colour differentiation may reduce levels of encroachment.”
“Where there was no cycle lane across the junction, cyclists were observed looking over their shoulders at the exit-arm pinch-point which is likely to impact on their level of comfort, and both perceived and actual safety.” Atkins Services. (2005). Advanced Stop Line Variations Research Study. Report No. 503 1271. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit. 8-2.
“Where there was no cycle lane across the junction, cyclists were observed looking over their shoulders at the exit-arm pinch-point which is likely to impact on their level of comfort, and both perceived and actual safety.”
Atkins Services. (2005). Advanced Stop Line Variations Research Study. Report No. 503 1271. Transport for London, London Road Safety Unit. 8-2.
Refer to intersection crossing markings in this guide. Colored pavement or other markings may be used to define the potential area of conflict. An egress lane should not be used when there is no complimentary bicycle facility or lane on the far side of the intersection.
“Bicycle traffic signals are used to reduce turning conflicts at signalized intersections and often provide separate and sometimes exclusive phases for bicyclists.” Federal Highway Administration. (2010). International Technology Scanning Program, Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility and Safety in Europe. FHWA-PL-10-010.
“Bicycle traffic signals are used to reduce turning conflicts at signalized intersections and often provide separate and sometimes exclusive phases for bicyclists.”
Federal Highway Administration. (2010). International Technology Scanning Program, Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility and Safety in Europe. FHWA-PL-10-010.
Adapted from the Urban Bikeway Design Guide, published by Island Press.