Bike Boxes in San Francisco

ProWalk/ProBike

Bike Boxes in San Francisco

ProWalk/ProBike

9 | 14 | 2010 | Chattanooga, TN

San Francisco in Context• 2nd highest population

density in the U.S.• 47 square miles• Mild climate• Population ~ 815,000 • Hilly (steepest hill 31.5%)

Bike Network in 2012Increase to 79 miles (126 km) of bike lanesIncrease to 98 miles (157 km) of streets with sharrows

Downtown

Cycling Volumes in San Francisco

53% increase in cycling between 2006-2009

Ultimate Goal – A Positive Feedback Loop

MORE CYCLISTS

More demand(to accommodate bikes)

More bike facilities

More awareness of cyclists

Increase safety

San Francisco Practice• Current Use

– Help cyclists merge to left-side of road

• Bike Box Design– Limit line (24” wide, 6’-

12’ before crosswalk)– Bicycle symbol – “No Turn on Red” at

signalized intersections– “Stop Here on Red,

Except Bicycles”

Scott Bike Box Celebration

Scott-Oak Bike Box• Help cyclists enter the left-turn only bike lane• Scott Street

– 2 lane, two-way street with bike lane– Bike left-turn only lane onto Fell Street bike lane

Scott/Oak Bike Box: Timeline

• May 2006 • Northbound bike lane and bike box installed

• December 2009 • Bike box painted green (no bike symbol) and left-turn

bike lane added north of the intersection• December 31st, 2009

• Bike symbol added back

Scott/Oak Bike Box: Data Collection

• December 2009 (green but without bike symbol)• 4 hours observing the evening peak

• February 2010 (green with bike symbol)• 3 hours observing the evening peak

• Observations• Vehicles – total stopped, stopping location (in bike

box, behind advanced stop bar)• Bikes – total stopped, stopping location (bike box,

crosswalk, bike lane)

Scott/Oak Bike Box: FindingsGreen “Bike Box”w/o Bike Symbol (December ‘09)

Green Bike Box w/ Bike Symbol (February ‘10)

Vehicle encroachment

50%(n=116)

38%(n=119)

Bike stop location

Bike box 55% 61%Crosswalk 30% 25%Bike lane 15%

(n=276)14%(n=350)

• Use of bike box improved with installation of bike symbol

• Some cars still encroach in the bike box• Some bikes still stopping in crosswalk

14th Street Bike Box

• Facilitates bike left turns from a one-way street to an intersecting bike route

• 14th Street– 2 lane, one-way street with bike lane– Cars make double left turn from 14th

• Folsom Street– 4 lane, two-way street with bike lane

14th/ Folsom Bike Box: Data Collection

• Timeline:• December 2004 - bike lane installed• March 2005 - bike box installed

• Observations: • September 2010• 4 hours in each peak period (~240 cycles per peak)• Vehicles – total stopped, stopping location (in bike

box, behind advanced stop bar)• Bikes – total stopped, stopping location (bike box,

crosswalk, bike lane)

14th/Folsom Bike Box: Findings

• 65% of the stopped bikes were turning left

Bike Box w/ Bike Symbol (September ‘10)

Vehicle encroachment 49%(n=450)

Bike stop location (left-turning bikes)

Bike box 34%Crosswalk 15%Bike lane 15%Vehicle lane + ped xing

36%(n=185)

14th/Folsom Bike Box: Findings

Other observations:• Many cyclists take advantage of a ped head start• Some cyclists simply merged with traffic• Conflicts persisted with right-turning cars

Conclusions:• Bike box helps position bicyclists properly for left turns• Some cars still encroaching in the bike box• Some bikes still encroaching in crosswalk• Need more work to discourage right on red

Synthesis

50%

Scott St –Advanced stop bar + green

55%

14th Street – Advanced stop bar

49%

14th Street –Advanced stop bar + Bike symbol

Scott St –Advanced stop bar + green + bike symbol

Vehicle encroachment

38%

• Vehicle compliance with advanced stop bar was highest with green paint and the bike symbol

State Route 227 in San Luis Obispo

Existing Intersection

Proposed Bike Box

Community Feedback

• Overwhelming support from local bike advocacy groups and City of San Luis Obispo

• Overwhelming support from other advocacy groups across the state and nation

• Support from several other California cities including Santa Rosa, Long Beach, San Francisco

Issues

• High auto volume creates need for refuge area for cyclists

• No standard on bike boxes in CA MUTCD• Experimental bike boxes in several CA cities

has created a need to codify bike box standards to lessen confusion for road users

• Can there be separate stop lines for different road users (motorists, cyclists)?

Response from California Traffic Control Devices Committee

• Request to experiment denied by CTCDC– Intersection has “non-typical” design

configuration due to refuge island– Should consider a different intersection for

experimentation• Caltrans instructed to apply to FHWA first and

then return to the CTCDC

Next Steps in San Francisco

• Follow-up work to improve effectiveness of bike boxes• Engineering modifications• Enforcement of no right on red• Education of drivers and cyclists

• Synthesize evaluation methodology• Identify additional pilot locations

• Monitor performance under various operating conditions

• Finalize design guidelines on the use of bike boxes• Support efforts to adopt bike box standards in California

Questions?Contact information:Jessica ManziProject Development SFMTA-Livable Streetsjessica.manzi@sfmta.com(415)701-4548

Adam Fukushima, Bike CoordinatorCaltrans – District 5(805) 549-3131Adam.fukushima@dot.ca.gov