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New York to welcome cyclists with a ‘green wave’ through traffic lightsHoyt Street traffic lights (via StreetView)

New York to welcome cyclists with a ‘green wave’ through traffic lights

Ride at 10-15mph and you’ll hit green after green
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Oct 25, 2019 16:36
11

Cyclists in New York are to benefit from ‘green wave’ traffic light phasing that will give them priority over motor vehicles. Cyclists who travel at 10-15mph on streets where the speed limit is 25mph will catch a wave of green lights, while drivers (and cyclists) who go faster than 15mph will hit red lights.

Similar schemes are already in operation in a number of cities. The world’s first was in Odense, Denmark. Others have followed in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Dublin.

A green wave scheme in Rotterdam incorporates pavement lights that indicate the speed the cyclist needs to maintain to avoid being held up.

“As we are working to grow cycling in New York City, we want to make it safer and we also want to make it an enjoyable ride,” New York’s transportation commissioner, Polly Trottenberg, told the New York Times.

Traffic experts say that as well as handing cyclists the gift of delightfully untroubled progress, calibrating green to a speed of 10-15mph delivers slower and steadier traffic flow and also reduces conflict at junctions.

New York’s green wave has been introduced on a half-mile stretch of Hoyt and Bond Streets in Brooklyn, a borough in which 16 of the city’s 25 bicycling fatalities this year have occurred.

These two roads are popular with cyclists, with as many as 594 an hour passing along – they often outnumber drivers.

Three more locations have also been earmarked.

“I just thought I got lucky, but it’s nice they’re doing it on purpose,” said local cyclist Anthony Scelza after riding down the road.

“It seemed like I stopped at every light,” said motorist Daniel Ortiz. “It’s horrible. It slows you down. Every light you’ve got to keep stopping.”

Underlining his suitability as a motorist vox pop, Ortiz said the change wouldn’t stop cyclists jumping red lights. “It doesn’t matter if they have the light or not. It’s dangerous for everyone.”

He’s presumably delighted that they’ll have fewer opportunities then.

green wave
Traffic lights
New York
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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11 comments

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
3 likes

I've long thought that something similar could be used to discourage speeding in urban environments. If every light controlled pedestrian crossing turned red if you approached it at over 30mph, then I reckon a lot of drivers who wouldn't think they are doing anything wrong at a few mph over the limit would baulk at crashing a red light, especially if an enforcement camera was involved.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
4 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

I've long thought that something similar could be used to discourage speeding in urban environments. If every light controlled pedestrian crossing turned red if you approached it at over 30mph, then I reckon a lot of drivers who wouldn't think they are doing anything wrong at a few mph over the limit would baulk at crashing a red light, especially if an enforcement camera was involved.

if it detects you going over the limit then it should just send a fpn and dock a couple of points off your licence. Why complicate things?

Avatar
werics replied to ConcordeCX | 5 years ago
0 likes
ConcordeCX wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

I've long thought that something similar could be used to discourage speeding in urban environments. If every light controlled pedestrian crossing turned red if you approached it at over 30mph, then I reckon a lot of drivers who wouldn't think they are doing anything wrong at a few mph over the limit would baulk at crashing a red light, especially if an enforcement camera was involved.

if it detects you going over the limit then it should just send a fpn and dock a couple of points off your licence. Why complicate things?

In the US, most police departments will give you 5 over before you run any risk of ticketing. I always thought this was to avoid questions of accuracy gumming up the courts, though I'm coming to doubt that supposition. Regardless, I doubt the same margin would be expected of a light, so that is one thing. Secondly, ticketing heavily is a political loser.

Avatar
neeb | 5 years ago
1 like

Fine for sit-up-and-beg commuters, but really frustrating for faster cyclists who will be travelling at much the same speed as the motor traffic in a 25mph zone!

Good for inline skaters though.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to neeb | 5 years ago
4 likes

neeb wrote:

Fine for sit-up-and-beg commuters, but really frustrating for faster cyclists who will be travelling at much the same speed as the motor traffic in a 25mph zone!

Good for inline skaters though.

and where are these cities where motor traffic moves at 25 mph and always gets a green light, and the commuting cyclists are riding at Tour de France speeds?

if you travel at the wrong speed for the lights then it doesn't matter how fast you go between them, you'll be no faster in the long run than the person travelling at the correct speed, whatever your mode. The wise speedy cyclist treats it as interval training.

 

Avatar
Philh68 replied to neeb | 5 years ago
2 likes

neeb wrote:

Fine for sit-up-and-beg commuters, but really frustrating for faster cyclists who will be travelling at much the same speed as the motor traffic in a 25mph zone!

Good for inline skaters though.

amusing that you think traffic in Manhattan can do 25mph. Average traffic speed is 5mph. It’s quicker to get around on a Citibike at 10mph. As anywhere, you have to ride to the conditions.

Avatar
EddyBerckx | 5 years ago
2 likes

Great idea...bring to london please!!

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to EddyBerckx | 5 years ago
0 likes

StoopidUserName wrote:

Great idea...bring to london please!!

 

There's no need, all cyclists in London batter through  the lights, regardless of what colour they are.

Avatar
EddyBerckx replied to Judge dreadful | 5 years ago
3 likes
Judge dreadful wrote:

StoopidUserName wrote:

Great idea...bring to london please!!

 

There's no need, all cyclists in London batter through  the lights, regardless of what colour they are.

Do they?

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to Judge dreadful | 5 years ago
4 likes

Judge dreadful wrote:

StoopidUserName wrote:

Great idea...bring to london please!!

 

There's no need, all cyclists in London batter through  the lights, regardless of what colour they are.

you make us sound like mobile fish & chip shops. And do you mean regardless of the colour of the cyclists, or the lights? That bit's a bit ambiguous. 

 

 

Avatar
Boopop replied to Judge dreadful | 5 years ago
1 like

Judge dreadful wrote:

StoopidUserName wrote:

Great idea...bring to london please!!

 

There's no need, all cyclists in London batter through  the lights, regardless of what colour they are.

"All"? Not in my experience, quit it with the hyperbole.

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