Salt Lake City on track to build first protected bicycle intersection in the U.S.
By BD+C Staff
The first protected intersection for bicycling in the U.S. is on track to open in Salt Lake City this summer, Streets Blog USA reports.
Salt Lake City planners are using a template from towns and cities in the Netherlands, which minimizes potential conflicts between people cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians. For example, cyclists can make a left turn in two stages without crossing against oncoming car traffic.
The site selected is 200 West, which the city says is 90% underutilized for vehicle capacity, making it an ideal location to develop bikeways.
Local news station KSL expects construction to start in August and take about two months. The intersection will be part of a protected bike lane running a little more than a mile through a central portion of the city.
The National Association of City Transportation Officials said this will be the first protected intersection design for bicycles in the United States.