Texas Gets Nation’s First “Dutch Junction” With Glow-on-the-Dark Bike Lanes

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Cities across the world have come up with unique methods to make it safer for kids and everyone to bicycle. Safe places to bike-and walk and play-are critical to reduce health disparities and improve Latino and all kid’s overall health and wellbeing.

In College Station, Texas (14% Latino) the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M designed a protected intersection, modeled after the Dutch Junction, with glow-in-the-dark bike lanes. Bike lanes are, in fact, a sound public health investment.

The Dutch Junction is designed to separate cars and bicyclists using islands, moving bicyclists in front motorists and out of their blind spots.

To improve path visibility, the bike lanes are coated with a glow-in-the-dark material that absorbs and stores solar energy during the day and transmits it into light at night.

In addition to enhancing safety and mobility across campus, this initiative-the first of many under the Campus Transportation Technology Initiative-will serve as: (1) a case study of a civil engineering design challenge, giving students the opportunity to survey the intersection as a motorist, pedestrian, or bicyclist and provide feedback; and (2) a research project on the effectiveness of the Dutch Junction on intersection safety and mobility.

Read about Washington’s first bike playground.