Blue boxes painted on the street at key Portland intersections are part of an effort to reduce the amount of bikers hit by cars turning right.
"Traffic engineers have been planning to put the colorful boxes at 14 intersections after logging six fatal bike accidents last year, including the deaths of cyclists Tracey Sparling and Brett Jarolimek within two weeks in October."
"Both deadly October crashes involved the 'right hook,' the most common type of Portland bike wreck, where a car turning right fails to see a bicyclist riding along the street's right side. City Bicycle coordinator Roger Geller said his office gets many complaints about that kind of crash. Comments from bikers, staff and consultants helped identify intersections where right hooks are common."
"Bike boxes aim to prevent those crashes by making bicyclists more visible, said Rob Burchfield, city traffic engineer."
"The boxes reserve a spot in front of cars at red lights, Burchfield said. When the light changes, the position gives bikes 'some measure of priority. They're able to move out of the intersection first, ahead of cars.'"
FULL STORY: After six deaths, Portland rolls out plans for 'bike boxes'

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie