"Dutch Junction" intersection design

[NFN Smith]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/tripping/wp/2017/03/15/bike-lane-mixes-glowing-paint-and-cool-design-for-safety-texas-researchers-say/

Apparently, this design has been use in the Netherlands for some years.
The idea is to better sort out pedestrians, bicycles and motorists. Fir
cyclists, locations better keep bicycles going straight out of blind
spots of motorists turning right, and routes bicyclists turning left
around the outside of the intersection in a pattern that is functionally
similar to a roundabout.

Texas A&M has added to the design with glow in the dark paint -- not
only easier to see at night, but better shows to both cyclists and
motorists the space that's designated for cyclists.

One thing that the article doesn't mention is how durable the paint is
-- I'm wondering how well it works in places where there's lots of snow
and ice, and how well the paint survives after a winter of abuse from
snowplows, salt and sand. Plus, how likely designated bike zones are to
collect road debris.

Smith

[Frank Krygowski]

The progression of advocacy has been interesting. First were the calls
for bike lanes everywhere, so cyclists would "have space" off to the
right of cars. But that led to door zone hazards and hazards where
drivers cut across the path of cyclists at intersections and driveways.

That progressed to cries saying ordinary bike lanes are not "safe"
enough, that the bikes must be "protected" (or actually, hidden) behind
rows of parked cars. But that leads to even more intersection problems,
where cyclists pop into intersections from unexpected directions and
locations.

Now we're seeing the first cries for complicated Dutch intersections, to
cure the problems caused by "safe" sidetracks for bikes. Riding a bike
in the U.S. won't be safe, they say, until the entire U.S. looks like
Amsterdam.

I'm sure there's lots and lots of excess government money lying around
to fund this pie-in-the-sky.


--
- Frank Krygowski