Updated 2001

A polite cyclist is waiting at the Market Square BEPOLITE signals 
untill pedestrians have crossed the street 

BEPOLITE 
A New Bike Signal Control Concept

BEPOLITE is a new concept for controlling bicycles at traffic signals. It has been developed in Helsinki for junctions with urban bike lanes. The control concept is unique in the word, no similar system is used anywhere.  

The basic idea of BEPOLITE control concept is to use the yellow flashing signal for cyclists partially during the pedestrian green signal.  During the flashing yellow stage cyclists are allowed to start riding but they must be prepared to yield with polite the pedestrians crossing the bicycle lane 

The first BEPOLITE signals came in use in Market Place junction opposite the City Hall in 1996. Since then BEPOLITE signals have been installed in some ten junctions in the urban bike lanes in the center of Helsinki

The survey demonstrated clearly that BEPOLITE signal control concept is well accepted and understood by cyclists. Simulation results proved that it clearly decreases delays of cyclists compared to the conventional signal control. 

BEPOLITE signal control concept is suitable for T- junctions, but it can be used even in other junctions in the approaches with low traffic volumes. 

BEPOLITE signal control concept has been adopted also to the new Finnish National Traffic Signal Code in the beginning of the year 2001    
  

	The development of the BEPOLITE signal control concept was includes to the European Union project ENTIRE in 1997-1999. Project ENTIRE was concerned to the rational use of energy in traffic and transpostation.  Reports about the BEPOLITE signals are available here
1997	BEPOLITE - A new approach for controlling of bicycles at traffic signals
1998	Study on the behavior of cyclists at BEPOLITE bike signals
1998	Simulation study of the BEPOLITE bike signals

The acronym BEPOLITE describes very well the basic idea of the function of BEPOLITE signals: cyclists can start their riding earlier but they must be polite and yield pedestrians crossing the cycle lane

Vehicles	Bicycles	Pedest- rians
The signal sequence of BEPOLITE signals

BEPOLITE signals
at the Market Square,
The City Hall of HELSINKI
is in the background