Photo from the SDOT Blog
I have heard nothing but praise and excitement so far for the new N 34th Street bike box, which SDOT completed last month. Where other bike boxes in the city (such as the bike trapezoids on Madison) seemed to be more like experiments, the bike box on N 34th at Fremont Ave is the real deal.
I am excited to see bike boxes become another regular part of road redesigns in Seattle. They have proven to increase safety for all road users by creating more space and better visibility at intersections, and they are versatile enough to fix a wide variety of intersection issues and conditions.
In this case, having a safe way to turn from the northbound westbound bike lane on 34th to the Fremont Bridge is a huge improvement. Before, the bike lane terminated into the back of a couple parked cars and people were expected to merge into general traffic to make the turn. Now, it is very clear and straight forward how all road users should behave, which should increase safety and encourage more people to try biking.
In our pursuit to address the long list of bicycle safety issues in the city, we sometimes forget to stop and praise projects that work well and make our city a safer and more comfortable place for everyone. So, good work SDOT! I am eager to see more like this.
What are your thoughts on the bike box? Where else would you like to see them?