Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

PBOT experiments with ‘intelligent’ new indicator light

One smart light.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) One unsung area where Portland is doing some very cool stuff for bicycling is with traffic signals and “ITS” — which stands for Intelligent Transportation Systems. The field of ITS encompasses all sorts of high-tech ways to make our streets smarter. From sensing vehicle patterns with RFID, to software … Read more


Springwater Corridor gets a new bike-only signal – UPDATED

(Photos: Clackamas County) A tricky crossing of the Springwater Corridor path in Clackamas County just got a bit easier. This morning, county engineers turned on a new, bike-only signal where the path crosses the intersection of SE Johnson Creek Blvd and Bell Ave (in unincorporated Clackamas County, just south of Portland city limits). The new … Read more


On January 1, bike traffic signals get the green light in Oregon

Expect to see more bike signals, like this one at Broadway and Williams, in 2012.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Starting January 1st, cities throughout Oregon will get the green light on bicycle signals. Bike-specific signals aren’t new in Portland, the City’s Bureau of Transportation has used them for years now; but technically they’ve been doing so … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

To reduce right-hooks, City turns on illuminated bicycle sign at Couch and Grand

New sign went up yesterday.(Photos © J. Maus) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) turned on an illuminated bicycle sign on NE Couch at Grand Avenue. As we reported last month, the intention of the sign is to reduce the risk of right-hooks at an intersection where several injury collisions have taken place. A bike … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Signal detection problems? Wash Co website says roll through after waiting

Still from helmet cam footage of light at Laurelwood and Scholls Ferry.(Photo: Seth Alford) Reader Seth Alford has been taking a lot of helmet cam video lately (his video of a TriMet bus rudely squeezing him out of a bike lane in Hillsdale garnered some attention). About a month ago, he waited over two minutes … Read more


See PBOT’s latest tweak to Broadway/Williams bike signal

PBOT crew at work this morning.(Photos © J. Maus) A Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) signal operations crew was out at the new Broadway/Williams bike signal this morning. The new signal was installed on October 13th to try and decrease the amount of right-hook collisions that have plagued the intersection for several years. After over … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

PBOT: Broadway/Williams bike signal coming next week

The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation has just announced details on their project to make the notoriously dangerous Broadway/Williams intersection safer for bike traffic. PBOT’s solution revolves around a new, bike-only traffic signal. Learn more about the City’s plans in our report last month. The new signal and lane re-striping is slated for installation … Read more