What’s happening to our roads?

Ada County Highway District crews this summer are busy painting new markings on select roads in Boise, Meridian, Eagle and Garden City as part of a pilot program.

What can some extra paint do?

The new markings — green bike lanes and white bicycle symbols to mark shared lanes — are recommendations from ACHD’s Roadways to Bikeways Master Plan.

“The lane markings will put bicyclists in a safer place on the roadway and will help alert motorists to the presence of bicyclists,” said Matt Edmond, ACHD senior transportation planner.

Color-marked bike lanes are already used in such cities as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, as well as in the Netherlands, Denmark, France and the United Kingdom.

Portland started its program more than a decade ago, and the percentage of motorists yielding to cyclists increased from 72 percent to 92 percent, a 1999 study found.

What are shared lane markings?

They are within existing travel lanes — combining a directional arrow with a bike symbol and painted in the center of the lane. The markings help motorists and bicyclists know where they have to share the same lanes on roads. Shared lane markings also direct bicyclists away from parked vehicles, reducing the chance of being struck by an opening door.

Eight sections of roadways — all without designated bike lanes but with known bike traffic — will receive those markings.

How should bicyclists use shared lane markings?

• Ride over the markings and stay away from parked cars.

• Ride in the same direction as traffic.

• Look, signal and merge before turning.

How should motorists use shared lane markings?

• Drive over the markings if bicyclists are not present.

• Give cyclists at least 3 feet if you need to pass.

What roads are getting the markings in the next few weeks?

• 8th Street from the Greenbelt to Broad Street.

• Bannock Street from 1st to 6th streets and from 13th to 16th streets.

• 13th Street from Fort to Irene streets.

• State Street from Cobblestone to Stierman ways.

• Watertower Lane from Main Street to Locust Grove Road in Meridian.

Where will they be done later this year?

• Northview Street from Cole to Curtis roads.

• Shoreline Drive from Americana Boulevard to 13th Street.

• Adams/Alworth streets from Kent Lane to 37th Street in Garden City.

What are green bike lanes?

Those will be painted in 17 places on road segments where turning and merging vehicles have the highest chances of coming into conflict with a bicyclist. The green paint alerts drivers to watch for cyclists while making turns.

Where are green lanes being installed now?

• 8th Street between Broad and Front streets.

• Bannock Street intersections at 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th streets and Capitol Boulevard.

• 16th Street southbound left-turn-lane crossovers at State and Main streets.

• Bown Way northbound right-turn-lane crossovers at ParkCenter Boulevard and southbound right-turn lane crossover at Boise Avenue.

• Eagle Road northbound right-turn-lane crossover at State Street in Eagle.

• Floating Feather Road eastbound right-turn-lane crossover at Idaho 55 in Eagle.

• Hill Road westbound right-turn-lane crossover at Horseshoe Bend Road near Eagle.

• Pine Avenue right-turn-lane crossovers at Eagle/Idaho 55 in Meridian.

Where will the green come later this summer?

• Key Emerald/Executive corridor intersections between Curtis and Eagle roads.

• Curtis eastbound and westbound right-turn-lane crossovers.

What’s the cost?

About $35,000 for the painting, planning and other work.

What else is happening with bike lanes?

Ada County has about 220 miles of bike lanes. ACHD is adding new bike lanes to Ustick Road from Duane Way to east of Cloverdale Road and at the Pine Avenue and Linder Road intersection.

In 2011, ACHD added bike lanes on:

• Boise Avenue from Capitol Boulevard to Joyce Street.

• Linder Road from Cayuse Creek Drive to north of Chinden Boulevard.

• Roosevelt Street from Cassia to Rose Hill streets.

• The State Street/Idaho 44/Ballantyne Lane realigned intersection.

In 2010, bike lanes were added to Overland Road from Ten Mile to Linder roads; and on Ten Mile Road from Overland to Cherry Avenue.

Cynthia Sewell: 377-6428, Twitter: @CynthiaSewell