Share the Road Campaign
Phase 1 Complete
The Town of Stratford is excited to have successfully implemented Phase I of Complete Streets on Main Street between Barnum Avenue (north) and Harvey Place (south).
Understanding the road signs and symbols along the street, including within the new bike lanes, is incredibly important to encourage more ridership and a sharing of the road, as well as encouraging safety and efficiency in the use of these resources.
That said, below are some images of what you’re seeing on Main Street, and what they
mean for bicyclists, motor vehicles and drivers, emergency vehicles, and pedestrians.
Do Not Block The Box
The hatched box in front of Fire Station has been painted to give priority to the emergency vehicles exiting the fire station when needed. Drivers can drive through this box as part of their travel lane as long as the traffic light is green. (The two travel lanes still exist here). However, drivers should avoid entering the box when the light turns yellow or red. If a driver enters the box when the signal is yellow, they may not be able to exit it before the signal turns red. This may cause their vehicle to be stuck in the roadway causing potential gridlock, or blocking emergency vehicles. Do your part to keep traffic flowing. To avoid blocking the box, drivers should wait to enter the intersection and only if they are sure to make it all the way through.
Wait behind the stop bar, not at the crosswalk, and look to see if the vehicles in front of you on the other side of the intersection have left enough room for you to make it through without stopping in the crosswalk on the other side. Bicyclists must stop at the red light like all other vehicles.
Green Painted Bike Lanes
Bike lanes have been painted green key locations to increase their prominence on the right of way. Bicyclists can ride through this green painted area and stop at the stop bar when there is a stop sign or a red light on a traffic signal. All other vehicles must stay in travel lane.
Motorbikes and other vehicles are not allowed in bike lanes, except to enter or exit a driveway or to take turn on a side road. The drain grates on the bike lanes
are safe to use for bicycles and so riders need not enter travel lanes when they see grates in bike lanes.
Bike Boxes
Bike boxes, painted in green, have been provided at the head of the travel lane at the intersection of West Broad and Main Street to prevent collisions between automobiles and bicyclists. Bicyclists can wait in these bike boxes, when preparing to make a left or right turn, in front of the automobiles while the traffic light is red as shown in the image to the right and merge into bike lanes on the other side when the traffic light turns green.
Sharrows, Buffer Lanes, and On-Street Parking Lanes
Sharrows are bicycle symbols painted on the road with two chevrons at the top as shown in the image o the left. Further south of West Broad and Main Street intersection (toward Stratford Avenue) and all along Elm Street sharrows have been painted on the road to remind drivers of automobiles to share the road with bicyclists as there are no designated bike lanes in these locations.
The hatched lanes next to bike lanes on Main Street are intended to act as buffers between bike lanes and travel lanes. Bicyclists must not ride over on-street parking lanes.
Crosswalks and Dotted Bike Lanes
Dotted bike lanes indicate that motorists may merge into the lane when making turns and are provided either at the intersections or closer to the intersections. These indicate a shared space for bicyclists and turning motorists. Drivers should check for bicyclists in the bike lane before crossing over the bike lane to change lanes.
Pedestrians must cross at designated cross walks only. They should wait until the walk signal turns green at the intersections and then cross the road.
They may also choose to wait at the refuge islands provided in the middle of the road with brick pavement.
