new red light box in Del Ray

[creadinger]

Thanks Alexandria!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3325[/ATTACH]

New red light bike box on Commonwealth and Mt. Vernon. More important than the paint on the road is that they added new detection instruments so that a bike will trip the stop light. It’s a weird enough, off-angle intersection that going on red always felt a little weird. They also extended the bike lanes northward to where they already were to the north.

http://delray.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/attention-cyclists-del-ray-bike-box-arrives

[Justin Antos]

Kudos to Carrie!

[bobco85]

@creadinger 58395 wrote:

Thanks Alexandria!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3325[/ATTACH]

New red light bike box on Commonwealth and Mt. Vernon. More important than the paint on the road is that they added new detection instruments so that a bike will trip the stop light. It’s a weird enough, off-angle intersection that going on red always felt a little weird. They also extended the bike lanes northward to where they already were to the north.

http://delray.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/attention-cyclists-del-ray-bike-box-arrives

Looks great! I look forward to using it when I pass through there (Commonwealth Ave is my favorite non-MUP route in the area). One minor detail is missing, though: the bicycle symbol so drivers know not to stop in it.

[KLizotte]

Went thru there tonight and my presence most definitely did not trip the light – grrrr. I was most definitely within the green paint. Perhaps it hasn’t been turned on yet? Fortunately a car finally came up behind me. I presume the bike symbols will be added soon – they probably had to wait for the green paint to dry.

[bobco85]

@KLizotte 58427 wrote:

Went thru there tonight and my presence most definitely did not trip the light – grrrr. I was most definitely within the green paint. Perhaps it hasn’t been turned on yet? Fortunately a car finally came up behind me. I presume the bike symbols will be added soon – they probably had to wait for the green paint to dry.

I rode through there this morning and did not trip the light either. I was standing in the middle of the green “corner” section and upon seeing the stoplight cycle skip my way, promptly broke the law and rode through the red (it was 6 in the morning, so there weren’t any other people on the road).

[KLizotte]

@bobco85 58433 wrote:

I rode through there this morning and did not trip the light either. I was standing in the middle of the green “corner” section and upon seeing the stoplight cycle skip my way, promptly broke the law and rode through the red (it was 6 in the morning, so there weren’t any other people on the road).

You can proceed on a red thru an intersection in VA if you wait two cycles or two minutes in cases like this.

[bobco85]

@KLizotte 58440 wrote:

You can proceed on a red thru an intersection in VA if you wait two cycles or two minutes in cases like this.

I know that law, and I fully admit I definitely did not do that. One cycle or 30 seconds in my case. Had to do it a few more times (Eisenhower Ave Connector/”mini-Lombard” St, East Dr/Telegraph, and Huntington/Route 1) as well. I don’t tend to run a red unless it’s clear the stoplight sensor doesn’t “sense” me (the ONE good time to have vehicles around you on the roads!).

[KLizotte]

Yeah, I was glad a car came up behind me because the intersection was really busy when I was there as well as weirdly laid out.

[baiskeli]

But the box is green, not red.

[KLizotte]

I’ve sent an email to the Alexandria government folks asking if the light mechanism has been turned on yet.

[KLizotte]

Got this msg today from Alexandria govt:

Thanks for the email. The bike box is not fully operational yet. The signal detectors will be going in this week. If by next week you encounter any issues please do not hesitate to contact Carrie Sanders, our Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator.

Carrie Sanders
City of Alexandria
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
TES
703-746-4088 Work
703-319-7110 Mobile
Carrie.Sanders@alexandriava.gov
421 King Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314

Best,

Gabriel D. Ortiz
Transportation Demand Management Coordinator

City of Alexandria
Transportation Planning Division
421 King Street, room 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
http://www.alexandriava.gov/LocalMotion
703-746-4083

[txgoonie]

Does anybody think the little bike lane jog to the right on Commonwealth (preceding this bike box down the street) is a little weird? I kinda don’t get the point of it.

[KLizotte]

I thought it was weird too.

[bobco85]

@txgoonie 58702 wrote:

Does anybody think the little bike lane jog to the right on Commonwealth (preceding this bike box down the street) is a little weird? I kinda don’t get the point of it.

I noticed that, too. I guess they couldn’t decide whether to widen the bike lane (which might cause cars to drive in the lane), parking lane (which might cause cars to park farther from the curb), or traffic lane (which might cause cars to drive faster) at that spot. In the end, they chose to confuse cyclists (I ignored it and kept going straight), but that’s ok I guess

[Author]

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