Seattle Adjusts Signals for Downtown Protected Bike Lane

Brandon G. Donnelly reports that after implementing a Downtown protected bike lane along 2nd Avenue, Seattle has had to make some adjustments to the signaling for the lane.

1 minute read

September 22, 2014, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


In a lesson in the importance of details when describing novel infrastructure facilities, Donnelly describes how the 2nd Avenue bike lane's special signals for drivers, a left green arrow and solid green circle, were causing confusion. "The intent was for the left green arrow to signal that you could turn and for the solid circle to signal that you could drive straight ahead….But even with the accompanying sign, drivers kept getting confused and thought a green circle meant you could go wherever you want."

Given the confusion, the Seattle Department of Transportation "changed the green circle to a north arrow."

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