It's all green lights for cyclists in this California city

Is this device a way for cars and bikes to live in peace and harmony?

A city in California is aiming to encourage people to ride their bikes by using "military-developed technology," which detects a bike approaching a traffic light and keeps the light green.

Dubbed the "Intersector," this cylindrical device can detect when a bike is approaching an intersection. It will then keep the light green until the cyclist has gone through an intersection, or turn the light green for the approaching cyclist.

Pleasanton is the first city in the U.S. to use the technology to change the timing of traffic lights, according to Joshua Pack, senior environmental engineer for the City of Pleasanton. And while the technology purportedly comes from the military, Pack couldn't say how or what it was used for there.

"I don't know a lot about the military history, nor probably would I because it's probably classified," he told the Star.

Pleasanton, a city of approximately 70,000 people 40 km east of Oakland, installed its first Intersector about a year-and-a-half ago. After seeing the product in action, the city ordered and installed six more, bringing its current total to seven. Four more will be installed in the coming months. Eventually, Pack said, all of the city's intersections will feature the product, which retails for about $4-5,000 (U.S.) a piece.

The city was attracted to the Intersector after hearing from cyclists who were concerned not just about being detected, but feeling comfortable they could get through the intersection before the light turned red. The city does have pedestrian countdown clocks on walk signals at intersections, but Pack said those should strictly be for pedestrians.

"We want to make our bicycle infrastructure as bike-friendly as possible and promote it so people feel comfortable using it. If you treat bicylists like pedestrians at intersections, it's not only a lot of delay for bicyclists, it's also a delay for vehicles," he said, pointing to the fact that cyclists would have to dismount and push the button to activate the walk signal, which is timed for a pedestrian crossing the street — not for a bike going through an intersection.

Pack said the technology was installed in the hopes of attracting new riders to the streets, and said cyclists have been overwhelmingly positive in their response to the new technology.

As for drivers?

"No, we haven't heard one negative comment from anybody," he said. "Our vehicular traffic and our drivers in town honestly haven't noticed it."

Toronto cyclist Joe Byer, 34, is intrigued by the Intersector.

"I think that something like that is good to encourage cycling. It's subtle little things like that that encourage cycling," he said.

Byer, who tries to cycle all year round "weather permitting," said bike lanes would complement technology like this.

"They encourage safer behaviour and more awareness on the motorist's part as well. It's like, 'Okay, there's a bike lane next to me, make sure I'm looking over that right shoulder when I'm making a right turn. Ideally.

"The more we have, the more awareness there is."

Watch a video of the Intersector below:

Comments

[Steve_YYZ]

Wow, great idea. I have both a bike (recreational use) and a car (commuting use) so I'll just get one for my bike (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) and put it behind the grill of my car. Now I'll have a wonderful commute. Thanks guys for a great idea to help out motorists in the city.
Of course, we could ALL just obey the Highway Traffic Act, behave responsibly and there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.

[Ryan Lispy]

I thought emergency vehicles in the states had this technology for a while, according to some "documents" I came across back in the 90s

[Anthony]

Wouldn't this cause grid lock for cars on intersecting streets if the light is green 80% of the time for 1 street but not the other? (IE- streets with bike lanes would have a steady flow of bikes during rush hours).
I bike Alot and while this sounds good I'm not sure its the answer.

[David Brooks]

Thank goodness Ford is the mayor and not Miller. Miller would have these installed at every friggin' light in the city further grinding traffic to a halt. This is an incredibly stupid idea.

[Limoman]

Oh great, something else to keep the traffic more congested at intersections by giving preference to bike geeks while the red light for traffic already stopped is extended. Why don't we just give the bike bozo's total control over all the traffic and intersections while the cars/trucks/cabs/limos/streetcars/buses and anything else with four wheels waits for the poor, disadvantaged bikeroos to safely travel the mean streets of Toronto.

[rob]

People should remember that right now traffic lights are synchronized so that drivers of cars get several green lights in a row, if they are driving the speed limit. On a bike, you tend to just catch every light as it turns yellow - little wonder that so many cyclists run yellow lights, trying to squeeze through. I see that this device is upsetting some people (motorists I assume). Why should bikes not receive the same kind of infrastructure improvements that you do...? We pay taxes too, we work in the city and contribute to our common prosperity. I think these things could be very useful, at selected intersections in the city.

[Peter Bird]

"According to the latest U.S. Census information, Pleasanton is the wealthiest midsize city in the nation. In 2005, the median household income in Pleasanton was $101,022, the highest income for any city with a population between 65,000 and 249,999 people.[2] Similarly, for 2007, the median household income rose to $113,345, also the highest in the category"

bike infrastructure and the attitudes that support it apparently attracts wealth - and the wealthy usually choose to live where the quality of life is good - maybe we Torontonians could learn something from this

[Dougman]

They should just use it to allow bikes to trigger weight-activated stop lights inside the city, it would cause too much chaos if it was used this way in any city...

[John Marc]

We have to many stupid people in this city to recognize the value of such a system. We are the only city in the world that has ignorant motorist who can't spare 2 minutes of their life to make our city a beautiful place. Have you seen the major declined this year in tourism? Next year is going to be even worse! As a motorist its a shame to be driving beside these people. More cycling = less cars = less traffic and that's a proven fact. To bad people in this city don't have common sense.

[Kerry Little]

Calm down all you drivers out there.

If one searches how this device works, one will discover that a bike needs to be quite close to the intersection for it to "hold" the green so they can cross and exit safely.

It's not going to hold or change a light for a cyclist who is 1/2 a block away.

Chill eh!

[Cam]

Why not just treat bikes like other vehicles? That's the law.

[CycleG]

I don't understand the title of this article - "Can this device end the war between cars and bikes? " How does this benefit cars in any way?

I also don't see how this makes the streets any safer for cyclists - more green lights does not mean more safety. Red lights are only dangerous for cyclists who ride through them, follow the rules and the streets are pretty safe.

Will it encourage cycling? Maybe, but as a cyclist, I still think this is a horrible idea and will only further the rage that drivers already have towards us.

[Mark]

Really? Why would anyone want to keep the light green longer for cyclists?

[scott ossington]

This would just level the playing field for cyclists. There are many streets in Toronto where the lights stay green for motorized traffic unless a pedestrian or cyclist hits the crossing button. Seems fair to me.

[carol]

'by giving preference to bike geeks while the red light for traffic already stopped is extended.'

It's interesting that drivers take for granted that the road, lights and streets give them preference by default everywhere. Cyclists don't expect bike lanes on every street, drivers expect a door to door trip everywhere. Sharing the road takes a different mindset I think.

Not sold on the idea, but intruiged. I would think it best to make this part of the overall picture of timing light changes i.e. different rules in rush hour, etc.

[Bob]

Cyclists keep shouting from the rooftops that they are vehicles (despite not being required to have any of the infrastructure or administration in place that all other vehicles are required to have), anyway, how about this - if you are a vehicle - OBEY THE FRIGGIN' TRAFFIC LAWS - STOP at red lights & stop signs, don't proceed at amber lights, don't drive on the sidewalks, stop BEHIND the streetcars and at crosswalks. Why do we need special laws and stupid devices to accomodate the 2 wheeled scofflaws - how about demerit points and confiscation for those who feel that their legs are more important than the safety of those around them? That is the only solution.

[Angus]

Now they'll expect the right-of-way everywhere, this will cause more anger and fuel the war on cyclists.

[ProV!]

Great now I can get a commute free of red lights by following a cyclist. I knew there had to be some use for cyclists other than being a PIA.

[erin]

It's called reading comprehension, or just listening comprehension if you watched the video. First of all, you don't attach it to your bike or car, it detects the movement of vehicles to determine if a bike is coming down the road. Second of all, it wouldn't cause congestion, it would reduce congestion, especially if cycling is encouraged, there would be fewer cars on the road. If cyclists can just continue down the road there would be fewer collisions with cyclists at intersections. I understand a great many of the illiterate Ford supporters out there want to dismiss anything that doesn't take cyclists off the road, but seriously, this is great technology that would help a lot of people and likely save lives. PS I'm a driver. And learn to read, visit your local library.

[Joe Byer]

I couldn't help but think that this would cause less red-light runners on bikes as, ideally with this system in place, there would be less red-lights for the bikes to run.

Think of the power it takes a cyclist to stop and start on a bike. Now think of the same power it takes for a driver to shift their right foot from one pedal to another to brake. Oh, and I guess back to get going again... STILL.
Is it too much to ask for cyclists to have a smoother ride through the city?

[Kevin]

I think it's a wonderful device, but any more publicity and it will be branded as a 'deadly weapon' in the 'war on cars'. Sigh...

[ladyday001]

Or the city could just instal the little push buttons to change lights at the curb, much like vancouver has. Works there, works in all weather, nothing fancy.