Road User Understanding of Bicycle Signal Faces on Traffic Signals

Prior to 2013, the use of bicycle-specific signals in the U.S. was limited to a few jurisdictions. However, in recent years, the number of installations has grown rapidly. This research identified more than 500 intersections using bicycle signals in a variety of contexts.

Despite the recent approval and practice, the TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Web-Only Document 273: Road User Understanding of Bicycle Signal Faces on Traffic Signals explores the questions that remain regarding road-user understanding of bicycle signals.

The objective of this research was to summarize and synthesize the U.S. experience with bicycle signal installations to identify any remaining gaps in understanding road-user comprehension and compliance with bicycle signals that could be effectively addressed through further research.