Long waits in front of traffic lights can prompt cyclists to ride through red anyway. Therefore, to make traffic at Teteringen (in the north of the city) smoother and safer, Breda municipality in The Netherlands has introduced smart traffic lights that show cyclists the fastest route.
Smart Traffic Lights installed in Breda
A survey by Breda municipality shows that the southern part of Teteringen is particularly busy during rush hour. Every day, many schoolchildren cycle to Curio Scala, the local high school, via Meulenspie and Nieuwe Kadijk. In order to manage traffic more effectively, smart traffic lights have been installed at these locations to indicate which cycle route is fastest.
The informative traffic light has two lights with a bicycle symbol next to each other: one shows a white arrow to the left and the other a white arrow to the right. The flashing light indicates the best way for cyclists to take the fastest route. Below the bike traffic light is a sign with further explanation. These smart traffic lights are only active during busy rush-hour periods, as outside these periods it is difficult to predict the waiting time at the traffic lights.
This is a translation of an article that was originally published in Dutch by MobiliteitsPlatform on 16th of January 2024