Wednesday, December 7, 2011

What is a Bike Box?

Contributed by: Eric C. Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council

Bike Box

As you are out driving in the Seattle area you may be seeing “green” areas being painted near intersections with a bicycle icon on it. Well this is a bike box, and when stopping at the light, vehicles are not to enter the “box” - it is for bicycles.

What is a bike box?
The bike box is an intersection safety design to prevent bicycle/car collisions. It is a painted green space on the road with a white bicycle symbol inside. In some locations it includes a green bicycle lane approaching the box. The box creates space between motor vehicles and the crosswalk that allows bicyclists to position themselves ahead of motor vehicle traffic at an intersection.

If you want more information on this, check out the Seattle Department of Transportation bike box page.  There is also an informative video from the City of Portland on How to Use a Bike Box.

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