City of San Luis Obispo, CA
Home MenuSLO's First Protected Intersection
San Luis Obispo now has a new type of intersection on Madonna Road that helps increase safety for driving, bicycling, and walking.
The protected intersection at Madonna Road and Dalidio Road provides a more comfortable way to make left turns by bike without having to merge across several lanes of motor vehicle traffic. It also features wider sidewalk corner curbs with a corner island that helps safely reduce the crossing distance for walking.
The newly constructed intersection began in 2020 as part of transportation improvements approved by the City Council related to the San Luis Ranch development project. The protected intersection is open but will be completed in late summer 2021, when a shared-use path is connected to Madonna Road.
How Do You Use It?
It is important for everyone to know how to navigate a protected intersection. While it looks like a typical intersection, there are some important differences especially for those on bike.
Watch this how-to video
Tips for Driving
For driving, a protected intersection is very similar to a typical intersection except for one new feature, a corner island.
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When making a right turn, be sure to always keep the corner island to your right.
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Do not drive over or through the marked corner island area.
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Avoid the curbs, including mountable truck aprons that help larger vehicles navigate a wider turn radius.
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Look for bicycles in the bike lane, which will be traveling on your righthand side.
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Yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, as you would a typical intersection.
Image Credit: City of San Jose
Illustration showing how a Protected Intersection makes people on bike and foot more visible by bringing them more forward of motor vehicles (Image Credit: City of Ottawa)
Illustration showing a corner island with mountable truck apron (Image Credit: MassDOT)
Tips for Bicycling
Riding a bike straight in a protected intersection is similar to riding through a typical intersection. Left hand turns are the biggest difference.
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Ride in the bike lane to approach the intersection.
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To request a green light, wait at the limit line and push the button located in the corner island.
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When the light is green and it is safe to cross, ride through the intersection in the green bike lane and connect to the bike lane on the other side of the intersection.
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To turn right, stay in the bike lane and turn right without stopping unless there are specific markings. Be sure to yield to pedestrians.
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To make a left turn, always proceed in a counterclockwise direction like you would in a roundabout to avoid merging across lanes of traffic (unless the bike crossing markings indicate two-way crossing is allowed).
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Ride straight along the dedicated bike lane to the corner island on the other side of the intersection, turn left and wait at the limit line, requesting a green light in the new direction.
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When the light is green and it is safe, proceed in the bike lane through the intersection in the new direction.
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Yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, as you would a typical intersection.
Illustration showing a two-step left turn by bike (Image Credit: City of Santa Monica)
Tips for Walking
When using the protected intersection as a pedestrian, use the pushbutton and crosswalk as you would in a typical intersection. Take care to cross when safe and remaining aware of motor vehicles turning around the corner islands.
More Protected Intersections Coming Soon
These new protected intersections are identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan to improve safety and comfort for bicycling and walking and further the City’s Vision Zero Initiative to eliminate fatal and severe injury crashes citywide. Protected Intersections have been a best practice design for decades in Europe and are quickly gaining popularity across the United States to improve safety and comfort for all road users in cities like Davis, CA; San Jose, CA, and Salt Lake City, UT.
A second protected intersection is also in construction at Froom Ranch and Los Osos Valley Roads and will be completed later this summer.