That green rectangle is a bike box, and this is how it works

What to make of those green rectangles beginning to appear at some Kansas City intersections?

They’re called bike boxes, and motorists and cyclists need to know how to use them as Kansas City and perhaps some of its neighbors install more of them as a safety feature.

Already, there are bike boxes in and around downtown, at 11th and Main streets, and on 20th Street, at both Grand and Southwest boulevards. There’s a bike box at Leeds Trafficway at Stadium Drive, and more are coming on Benton and Armour boulevards.

The basic rule: When the light turns red, motor vehicles stay behind the thick white line. The green area is for bikes only.

Watch the video to see how it’s supposed to work.

This story was originally published April 27, 2017 at 11:37 AM with the headline "That green rectangle is a bike box, and this is how it works."