Originally Posted by
mr_pedro
Start looking for a spot to take the lane well in advance, stick your arm out and start riding there so you can end up on the bike lane to go straight. If you Re not comfortable dong this you can also wait on the sidewalk by the trafic light untill it turns red.
+1
Take the lane and use the light to your advantage. I've got some bad spots in my commute where it makes the most sense to accept a red light only to jump it 5-10seconds later when crossing traffic clears (always does, traffic timing mechanism). I'm sure you will learn some trick to navigate this area safely.