PAPER

18-05609

Bicyclist Positioning Behavior at Signalized

Intersections in Portland, Oregon, USA
Oliver Smith, Portland Bureau of Transportation
Peter Koonce, Portland Bureau of Transportation
David Soto Padín, Portland State University

§ Recent research suggests that over half of bicyclists do not understand how to be detected on a bicycle
§ FHWA’s Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide notes that “detection feedback devices should be
considered to provide information for bicyclists to receive a green light.
§ Over four hours of video data at each of the six locations, 670 observations were made regarding bicyclist
behavior, compliance, and positioning at six signalized intersections.

Types of Bicycle Detector Traffic Control Devices

Map of data collection sites with the Portland bicycle network map overlay.

Bicyclist behavior at red lights (n=430) 30

Crashes and PM peak hour traffic volumes (n=95) 3000
Vehicle Bike Total vehicles (PM peak hour)
Through on 25 1 2500

Total vehicles (PM Peak)

Right on red,

Crashes (2010-2014)
red, 1.6% 4
8.4%
20 2000

15 1500
Pushes button, 25
9.8% 10 20 19 1000
Waits on
stencil, 43.0% 14
5 500
8
4
0 0
“Wait on Symbol” Sign Detector Confirmation Feedback Pavement marking Joins others NE 82nd Ave & SW Terwilliger NE 33rd Ave & N Interstate Ave NE 53rd Ave & N Interstate Ave
on red, 37.2% NE Tillamook St Blvd & SW NE US Grant Pl & N Ainsworth St NE Glisan St SB & N Dekum St
MUTCD R10-22 FHWA Experimentation 4(09)-63 EB Capitol Hwy SB EB WB WB

Data Collection Site Characteristics Flow chart of bicyclist behaviors at signalized

intersections with bicycle detection markings
Button Cycle
R10-22 Bicyclist behavior at red lights by location (n=430)
Observations Bike lane within reach length 70%
Location (n=670)
sign
present of bike or PM peak
present 60%
vehicle lane (sec)
Percent of bicyclists

NE 33rd Ave & NE US 50%

231 No No No 90
Grant Pl EB 40%
N Interstate Ave & N
156 Yes No Yes 90 30%
Ainsworth St WB
20%
SW Terwilliger Blvd &
112 No Yes No 120
SW Capitol Hwy SB 10%

NE 53rd Ave & NE 0%

108 Yes No Yes 80
Glisan St SB NE 53rd Ave SW Terwilliger NE 82nd Ave N Interstate NE 33rd Ave N Interstate
& Glisan St Blvd & Capitol & Tillamook Ave & Dekum & US Grant Pl Ave &
NE 82nd Ave & NE SB (n=163) Hwy SB St EB (n=68) St WB (n=66) EB (n=27) Ainsworth St
49 Yes No No 80 (n=95) WB (n=11)
Tillamook St EB Waits on stencil Joins others on red Pushes button
N Interstate Ave & N Right on red Through on red
14 Yes No No Free
Dekum St WB

§ Bicyclist compliance is higher than found in previous studies of actual behavior (and studies of drivers’ perceptions).
§ Previous work shows that even if compliance is high, more than half of cyclists do not know how to place a call at a traffic signal with detection.
Want more information about getting
§ Future research includes: a green light on a bicycle?
§ Install detector confirmation indications (blue lights) lights at these six locations.
§ Collect similar data after device installations. Visit
§ Analyze whether significant changes in behavior are observed after device installation https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/660377