Motorists will need to be more aware when at the Main Street West, Memorial Drive and Murray Street intersection Thursday, as painting of the City's first bike box takes place.
A bike box is a designated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection that provides cyclists with a safe and visible way to get ahead of queuing traffic during a red-light signal. The City's first "bike box" will be painted in a rectangle in front of where vehicles are stopped at red lights.
"The bike box, which will be accessible via Memorial Drive, is part of an ongoing effort to make North Bay a more bicycle-friendly city. Painting of the bike box is moving ahead after being delayed last summer," says a news release.
It's all part of the construction of the West Link multi-use pathway.
The West Link project was started two years ago and involved the construction of a three-meter wide, multi-use pathway along Main Street West between Gormanville Road and Timmins Street.
See: Main St. 'Bike box' will give cyclists a leg up on motorists
Bike boxes are green-painted designated areas that allow cyclists to move ahead of traffic into a safe and visible location when the traffic lights are red. Vehicles are required to stop behind the green bike box where bike boxes. During green lights, cyclists have priority through the intersection. The new bike box will be accessible via Memorial Drive.
