Bike boxes are a reserved space just for cyclists at intersections. They are marked ahead of the car stop line and behind the crosswalk to improve cyclist visibility. Bike boxes allow cyclists to filter forward and get in front of motorists so they can position themselves correctly for a turn. They're used at intersections with heavy traffic volume (cars and bikes) and frequent turning conflicts.
In New York, these bike boxes are on a one way street. Bike lanes are also marked on both sides of the one way. Read more at Streetsblog.
The bike boxes seem to indicate that they realize the safest place to be, when stopped at an intersection, is in front of the cars. This way you don't get rear ended - the cars behind you do.
ReplyDeleteBut isn't filtering through traffic still illegal in NY? On this street it doesn't matter since there are bike lanes, but it still seems inconsistent.