New Intersection Treatment: Bike Boxes

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Image Credit: National Association of City Transportation Officials

The Town has restriped the Prices Fork Road/Toms Creek Road/Stanger Street intersection. To make this intersection more bicyclist friendly, the Town has added new pavement markings called bike boxes to the intersection.

A bike box is a designated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection. It is installed to reduce conflicts between people bicycling and people driving. The main goal is to prevent crashes between right-turning vehicles and people bicycling through the intersection. Bike boxes also increase visibility and awareness and help people bicycling to clear an intersection more quickly.




How to Use a Bike Box
(Image and Text Credit: Portland Bureau of Transportation)


When you are driving:

Stop behind the bike box for a yellow or red signal.
Don't turn right on red if you have to cross the bike box.

When the signal turns green, do not pass people on bikes while in the intersection.
Watch for people on bikes around you, especially in front of you and to your right.

If the light is green as you are approaching, move through the intersection as usual.




When you are bicycling:

Enter the bike box from the approaching bike lane at a yellow or red signal.
Stop before the crosswalk.
Position yourself in the appropriate lane depending on the direction you are travelling.

When the signal turns green, proceed through the intersection as usual.
Be aware of right-turning vehicles.

If the light is green as you are approaching, move through the intersection as usual.




The Town has restriped the Prices Fork Road/Toms Creek Road/Stanger Street intersection. To make this intersection more bicyclist friendly, the Town has added new pavement markings called bike boxes to the intersection.

A bike box is a designated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection. It is installed to reduce conflicts between people bicycling and people driving. The main goal is to prevent crashes between right-turning vehicles and people bicycling through the intersection. Bike boxes also increase visibility and awareness and help people bicycling to clear an intersection more quickly.




How to Use a Bike Box
(Image and Text Credit: Portland Bureau of Transportation)


When you are driving:

Stop behind the bike box for a yellow or red signal.
Don't turn right on red if you have to cross the bike box.

When the signal turns green, do not pass people on bikes while in the intersection.
Watch for people on bikes around you, especially in front of you and to your right.

If the light is green as you are approaching, move through the intersection as usual.




When you are bicycling:

Enter the bike box from the approaching bike lane at a yellow or red signal.
Stop before the crosswalk.
Position yourself in the appropriate lane depending on the direction you are travelling.

When the signal turns green, proceed through the intersection as usual.
Be aware of right-turning vehicles.

If the light is green as you are approaching, move through the intersection as usual.




Ask a Question

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  • Share What is the vision and thinking behind this? Price's Fork and Tom's Creek are two of the most dangerous roads for cyclists and almost never have cyclists on them. This feels like a tree in the middle of a desert. It's nice to see, but why, and it's not part of an ecosystem? How are cyclists supposed to reach this intersection, from where, going where? Is there a plan for cyclist-first/cyclist priority routes in town that would actually allow cyclists to get to and from campus without risking their lives on car-heavy roads, e.g. from Patrick Henry apartments and housing? on Facebook Share What is the vision and thinking behind this? Price's Fork and Tom's Creek are two of the most dangerous roads for cyclists and almost never have cyclists on them. This feels like a tree in the middle of a desert. It's nice to see, but why, and it's not part of an ecosystem? How are cyclists supposed to reach this intersection, from where, going where? Is there a plan for cyclist-first/cyclist priority routes in town that would actually allow cyclists to get to and from campus without risking their lives on car-heavy roads, e.g. from Patrick Henry apartments and housing? on Twitter Share What is the vision and thinking behind this? Price's Fork and Tom's Creek are two of the most dangerous roads for cyclists and almost never have cyclists on them. This feels like a tree in the middle of a desert. It's nice to see, but why, and it's not part of an ecosystem? How are cyclists supposed to reach this intersection, from where, going where? Is there a plan for cyclist-first/cyclist priority routes in town that would actually allow cyclists to get to and from campus without risking their lives on car-heavy roads, e.g. from Patrick Henry apartments and housing? on Linkedin Email What is the vision and thinking behind this? Price's Fork and Tom's Creek are two of the most dangerous roads for cyclists and almost never have cyclists on them. This feels like a tree in the middle of a desert. It's nice to see, but why, and it's not part of an ecosystem? How are cyclists supposed to reach this intersection, from where, going where? Is there a plan for cyclist-first/cyclist priority routes in town that would actually allow cyclists to get to and from campus without risking their lives on car-heavy roads, e.g. from Patrick Henry apartments and housing? link

    What is the vision and thinking behind this? Price's Fork and Tom's Creek are two of the most dangerous roads for cyclists and almost never have cyclists on them. This feels like a tree in the middle of a desert. It's nice to see, but why, and it's not part of an ecosystem? How are cyclists supposed to reach this intersection, from where, going where? Is there a plan for cyclist-first/cyclist priority routes in town that would actually allow cyclists to get to and from campus without risking their lives on car-heavy roads, e.g. from Patrick Henry apartments and housing?

    dtod asked over 3 years ago

    Thanks for the question.    Most improvement projects for this type of infrastructure are identified in the Bike Master Plan, which speaks to various types of bicycle infrastructure that we plan to implement in Town, and the Comprehensive Plan's Paths to the Future map, which shows existing and proposed connectivity for non-motorized modes to create a more walkable and bikeable community.  These plans lay the groundwork for future improvements that the Town implements as funding becomes available.  

    The bike boxes were installed as part of a larger improvement project to focus on increasing the safety of people walking and people biking at this busy intersection.  The larger project included wider sidewalks along the North side of Prices Fork Road, a larger pedestrian landing area, and pedestrian countdown timers for the traffic signal as well as the bike boxes.  

    Based on multiple traffic counts, the intersection of Toms Creek Road/Stanger Street/Prices Fork Road is one of the busiest intersections in Town for all modes and more specifically, has one of the highest volumes of people biking through it daily.  All four streets have bike lanes for several blocks approaching and exiting the intersection.  A few blocks away, Prices Fork Road has green bike lanes approaching the intersection with University City Boulevard where there are frequent right turning movements.  

    We know there is more work to be done and we are continually looking for ways to improve transportation corridors for people biking.  Please reach out if you have any questions about the above or would like to discuss this further.  

  • Share What is the proper way for a cyclist to turn left from the images shown above? on Facebook Share What is the proper way for a cyclist to turn left from the images shown above? on Twitter Share What is the proper way for a cyclist to turn left from the images shown above? on Linkedin Email What is the proper way for a cyclist to turn left from the images shown above? link

    What is the proper way for a cyclist to turn left from the images shown above?

    andrewT asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question.  When the signal is yellow or red, enter the bike box from the approaching bike lane and stop before the crosswalk.  Position yourself in the green bike box area in the appropriate lane depending on the direction you are travelling.  If you are turning left, position yourself at the head of the dedicated left turn lane within the bike box.  Then turn left when the light changes to green. 

    If the light is green as you are approaching, you will not use the bike box.  Merge into the dedicated left turn lane from the bike lane as you would normally and when you can do so safely.  Then turn left from that position.  

  • Share How do bike boxes work in round-abouts? on Facebook Share How do bike boxes work in round-abouts? on Twitter Share How do bike boxes work in round-abouts? on Linkedin Email How do bike boxes work in round-abouts? link

    How do bike boxes work in round-abouts?

    dpribbe asked over 3 years ago

    Thanks for the question. Bike boxes are specifically used for signalized intersections, and would not be appropriate for a round-about.

  • Share So there is NO turning on RED at Biked Boxed Corners no matter the time of day, correct? on Facebook Share So there is NO turning on RED at Biked Boxed Corners no matter the time of day, correct? on Twitter Share So there is NO turning on RED at Biked Boxed Corners no matter the time of day, correct? on Linkedin Email So there is NO turning on RED at Biked Boxed Corners no matter the time of day, correct? link

    So there is NO turning on RED at Biked Boxed Corners no matter the time of day, correct?

    George M. asked over 3 years ago

    Thanks for your question. With a bike box, right turns on red are prohibited regardless of the time of day or if a person biking is present. However, because three legs of this intersection have dedicated right turn only lanes, this restriction will only apply to one leg, the westbound Prices Fork approach. Signage will be added to this leg to make this clear.

Page last updated: 21 Sep 2021, 06:52 AM