Bike Happy: Nation’s largest e-bikeshare system

| Posted

February 16, 2018

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks again to Brock Howell of Bike Happy for putting together this comprehensive weekly newsletter.

TOP THINGS TO KNOW & DO

Seattle is home to the nation’s largest e-bikeshare system.
In the last 7 years, the percentage of commuters driving alone into downtown has dropped 10 points.
On Wednesday, Feb. 21, speak up for better bike parking in new buildings at a public hearing on parking legislation.
Attend “One Man, Two Wheels,” a play written and performed by Henry James Walker this weekend (Thursday–Saturday, 7:30pm), at the 18th & Union Arts Space.

— Advertisement —

Fundraiser Countdown: 13 days left

Seattle needs more fun on bikes! That’s why we’re organizing “Bike Happy Month” — a month of crowdsourced, DIY bike fun to close-out the 2018 summer in the vein of Portland’s Pedalpalooza — with a huge street party in Ballard to cap it off.

We need your financial and volunteer help to make it a reality. That’s why we’re launching a crowdfunding campaign. Help us reach our initial goal level of $2,500, which assures we can fund the basics of the events.

With every dollar you donate, we can get $2 in grant funding from the city, if we’re successful in our grant application. And for every hour you commit to volunteering, we can get $40 in grant funding. So, please contribute and volunteer today.

SOCIAL, LIFESTYLE, & ADVENTURE

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Thursday, Feb. 15
Friday, Feb. 16
Saturday, Feb. 17
- 8-9:30am, Silverdale Cyclery’s Dave’s Saturday Morning Shop Ride
- 11am-5pm, Swift Industries’ Human Error Sale
- 7:30pm, Performance Art: “One Man, Two Wheels”
Sunday, Feb. 18
- 9-1pm, KAOS Trailwork at Gold Creek
- 10am-Noon, Redmond Cycling Club’s “Frosty Thirty Club Ride”
- 1:30-3pm, Kidical Mass Committee Meeting
Thursday, Feb. 22
- Crucible Brewing’s Dollar Off Night for Riding Two Wheels
- 7pm, Point 83 Ride
Friday, Feb. 23
- Critical Mass

ARTICLES & POSTS

“Trekking on the Kirkland Brewery Trail,” WA Beer Blog.
“Nuun says it will hydrate 2 million athletes at events this year,” Bicycle Retailer.
“Colleen Welch: Super Biker Woman Rides Again,” Thurston Talk.
“The 2018 Bicycle Sundays schedule is out,” Seattle Bike Blog.
“How to Wash Your Kit,” NW in Motion.
“Myth 5: An Upright Position is More Comfortable,” Jan Heine’s Blog.
“The North American Handmade Bicycle Show,” Jan Heine’s Blog.
“It takes a village: planning for a major riding event,” Cascade.

IN MEMORIAM

Mark Kristofferson, a Lake Stevens resident, was killed by a driver while riding in the Tour de Palm Springs in California (Everett Herald, NBC).

POLICY & INFRASTRUCTURE

ACTION

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, Feb. 15
- 6-7:30pm, Green Lake & Wallingford Safe Streets Group Re-Launch
- 6:30-8pm, Sound Transit’s Ballard Light Rail Open House
Wednesday, Feb. 21
- 9:30-11am, Seattle City Council Public Hearing on Parking Legislation
Thursday, Feb. 22
- 6-7:45pm, Beacon Hill Safe Streets meeting

NEWS

Bikeshare
- LimeBike now has 500 e-bikeshare bikes (they call them “Lime-Es”) on Seattle’s streets and sidewalks — the largest e-bikeshare system in the nation. With a capped e-assist at 14.8 mph and 60-pound weight, they’re steady but not speedy. Eventually, Lime-Es will comprise 40% of LimeBike’s Seattle fleet. (Seattle Bike Blog, GeekWire, Curbed, KIRO, KOMO, MyNorthwest, Intelligent Transport, PR Newswire, Smart Cities, Patch).
- “While highly visible, bikeshare abuse is not that widespread,” UW Daily.
- “Bikeshare ultimatum: pick up your toys, or we’ll pick them up for you,” KUOW.
- As a prank, someone put 40 Lime bikes in a friend’s yard for his 40th birthday (KIRO).
- “Why bike sharing companies want to play nice with Seattle,” KUOW.
- Comparing Lime, ofo, and Spin (Curbed Seattle, Queen Anne & Magnolia News).
- “How do Seattle’s bike share companies make money?” KUOW.
- “Seattle bike share Limebike accuses Ofo of unfair business practices,” KOMO.
- “Mobike posts Seattle job openings—but has no plans for a local launch,” Curbed.
- Are you ready for scooter-share? e-scooter-share? (Tech Crunch).
Bike Theft
- During ride-along video, UWPD officer discusses a bait bike program and the importance of registering bikes on Bike Index (UW Daily).
- Reports of bike theft to UWPD are down 43% (UW Daily).
Helmet Law
- During ride-along video, UWPD officer discusses current lax approach to enforcing helmet law and hope for a crack down on campus in 2019 (UW Daily).
Seattle Commute Mode Shares
- From 2010 to 2017, the percentage of commuters driving alone into Downtown Seattle has dropped from 35% to 25%. While the percentage of people biking has stayed flat (3%), the number of employees has increased, which means the total number of the people biking has increased, too. (Curbed, Seattle Times)
Seattle Infrastructure
- Seattle residents submitted more than 1,000 ideas for small street and parks improvements for the Your Voice Your Choice program (DON)
- SDOT shelved planned improvements to Fauntleroy Blvd until Sound Transit makes alignment and construction decisions regarding the West Seattle Light Rail line (Urbanist).
- SDOT ditched planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements to Broadway (CHS Blog).
- “SDOT Plans to Remove Hostile Architecture,” Next City.
- “Biking in Magnolia and Interbay Got a Lot Easier with Recent SDOT Project,” Urbanist.
- “Understanding the Burke-Gilman Trail’s Legal Battle,” Seattle Met.
- Opinion Letter Against Northgate Pedestrian Bridge (Seattle Times).
Bainbridge
- Competing letters to the Bainbridge Island Review regarding reducing speed limits, for & against.
Kirkland
- In the state capital budget, Kirkland received $2.5 million to connect the Cross Kirkland Corridor toward the Redmond Central Connector and the Eastside Rail Corridor toward Woodinville (Kirkland Reporter).
East Lake Sammamish Trail
- The City of Sammamish Hearing Examiner denied a permit for the final phase of the East Lake Sammamish Trail. King County will appeal the decision to the State Shoreline Hearings Board. (Issaquah Reporter).
Edmonds
- The design work for the Waterfront Connector, a new bike-ped and emergency vehicle connection between Main & West Dayton Streets over the rail tracks, continues to make progress (Edmonds Beacon).
Pierce County
- The Tacoma-Pierce County Healthy Board announced the winners of its 2017 Healthy Community Awards, including the Puyallup Active Transportation Plan (Suburban Times).
State Legislature
- “Olympia Update: Bike Priorities Continue to Progress at the Capitol,” Cascade.
  - An e-bike bill passed out of the Senate, and the House moved their e-bike bill out of the transportation committee.
  - I’m pretty sure a bill that would’ve strengthened the Vulnerable User Law didn’t make a key deadline yesterday, so it is likely dead.

SPORT

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, Feb. 17
- 9am-Noon, Rocket Ride (Metier)
- Noon-2pm, Free Intro to BMX Clinic (Port Orchard)
- 3-6pm, BMX: Fastest Cat in the Barn All Ages Open Series (Port Orchard)
Sunday, Feb. 18
- 9am-1pm, Siren Racing’s February Ladies Ride
- 10-11:30am, Washington State Indoor BMX Barnstormer Series (Port Orchard)
Wednesday, Feb. 21
- 6pm, Seattle Bike Polo’s Beginner’s Night (Cal Anderson)

SAVE THE DATES

Cascade’s Chilly Hilly, Feb. 25
Segregated Seattle: Bike the Infamous Redline, Mar. 17
2018 Gorge Gravel Grinder, Apr. 8
Washington Bike Summit, Apr. 29–30
Bicycle Sundays: Twelve Sundays, May 20 – Sept. 16

RECENTLY STOLEN BIKES

In the past week, six bikes were reported stolen to the Seattle Police Department. In case your bike is ever stolen, make sure you’ve registered your bike on Bike Index. Bicycle Security Advisors provides information on how to keep your bike safe.