Effectiveness of Bike Boxes in Massachusetts

2021PDFTech ReportChristofa, EleniAi, ChengboDeliali, AikateriniTainter, FrancisCesic, LeilaHannon, ThomasKostopoulou, EfthymiaUniversity of Massachusetts at AmherstMassachusetts. Dept. of Transportation. Office of Transportation PlanningUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway AdministrationMassachusetts. Dept. of Transportation. Office of Transportation PlanningMassachusettsUnited StatesAutomobile driversBehaviorBicycle crashesBicycle facilitiesCyclistsRoad markingsBicycle safetyBicyclesTraffic safetyBike boxAdvanced stop linesMotorist complianceBicyclist behavior21-021Final Report- September 2021 [March 2020 -September 2021]Bike boxes provide a designated space for bicyclists to gather at the front of a traffic queue, to improve bicyclist visibility and predictability. This project studied the effectiveness of bike boxes in Massachusetts by investigating motorist and bicyclist behaviors and the effects of bike box design. The study included a comprehensive inventory, descriptive analysis of historic crashes, and field study that provided trajectories of motorized vehicles and bicyclists from 11 bike boxes in Boston and Somerville, MA. A total of 91 bike boxes were identified in Massachusetts that included a variety of designs in terms of dimensions, signage, pavement markings, and bicycle infrastructure. Bike box depths were found to be on the lower end of guidebook requirements. The crash analysis using five years of data, though limited, revealed that the majority of crashes are attributed to motorists or bicyclists not complying with control devices. The study also indicated lower motorist compliance rates compared to previous studies and similar results to other studies regarding bicyclist positioning within the bike box; however, the results of impact of design features on user behavior were inconclusive. Further research is needed to understand user behavior at bike boxes and to relate behavior to safety outcomes, and for outreach and education efforts to support bike box effectiveness.131