Bridge (green color added).
(Photo © J. Maus)
Remember back in December, when I shared how PDOT was contemplating what color the new bike boxes and colored bike lanes should be?
Well now it’s official: They’ve decided to go green.
I asked PDOT’s bicycle coordinator Roger Geller why. He said their decision stems from the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, who is recommending that green be the color for all “colored bicycle facilities.”
Geller added that, in part, the national committee recommends green because blue is already assigned for disabled parking and “there’s concern it could be confusing to have a curb-tight bicycle lane colored blue.”
Other factors in PDOT’s decision were that other cities have started using green already, and Geller says, “we decided it would be prudent to not buck the trend.”
The green color will be used on the bike boxes and painted bike lanes coming soon to 14 Portland intersections and city crews will likely paint over the existing blue bike lanes next time they are maintained.
Later next week, I should have an update on PDOT’s educational marketing campaign surrounding the installation of these new bike boxes. Stay tuned.