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We've seen them in West Hollywood along Santa Moncia Boulevard before, but these take the cake. The City of Long Beach this month introduced the city's first bicycle boxes, which are intersection improvements meant to increase cyclist safety and visibility at intersections. They are especially helpful in helping avoid crashes between right-turning vehicles and cyclists going straight.
The piloted bicycle boxes can be found along Second Street at Bayshore and Marina Drive, the former where bicycle sharrow/lanes painted in green were installed over the summer.
What should motorists know? "When the traffic signal is red, motorists must stop behind the green bike box," explains a Long Beach news release. "Do not stop on top of or in the bike box. Keep it clear for cyclists to use, just as you would a crosswalk for pedestrians. When the signal turns green, motorists and cyclists may move through the intersection as usual, with cyclists going first. Motorists turning right on green should signal and watch for cyclists to the right, especially in the bike lane."
What should cyclists know? "When the traffic signal is red, cyclists enter the green bike box from the approaching bike lane," continues the city. "Cyclists stop before the crosswalk. When the signal turns green, cyclists proceed as normal. Cyclists should be aware of right-turning motorists, especially in the intersection."
See two videos of bike boxes in action in Portland and New York City below:
