BOISE -- The Ada County Highway District is making another push to improve bicycle safety in downtown Boise.
Drivers using Capitol Boulevard will notice a big green box painted on the road at the intersection of Capitol and Myrtle Street. It's designed to make bicyclists more visible. However, the new bike box comes with a new rule for drivers.
"One of the things that's going to be an educational challenge for all of us is to convince motorists they can no longer make that right on red that we've been so accustomed to," said Craig Quintana, chief information officer for ACHD.
Instead, drivers are asked to make their stop behind the green box. Keep the box clear for cyclists to use. When the light turns green, drivers and cyclists move through the intersection as usual with cyclists going first. The new rule is to help prevent drivers from turning right and hitting cyclists going straight.
"When you have a bike box we don't want to have that right on red occurring when a cyclist is pulling into that bike box because that could be a nasty collision," said Quintana.
Bike boxes have been used extensively in Portland, Chicago and New York City. ACHD says to look for more coming throughout downtown Boise.
"We figure as our bicyclist infrastructure grows there's going to be a role for these kinds of innovative features," said Quintana.