Bike Happy: Missing Link victory & a new Seattle-based folding bike company

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

TOP THINGS TO KNOW & DO

Missing Link Victory! The Seattle Hearings Examiner decided the City of Seattle sufficiently studied the environmental impacts of completing the Burke-Gilman Trail through Ballard, and that construction on the Missing Link project can finally move forward. But expect the appellants to appeal to superior court.
Cascade’s Seattle Bike Swap is on Saturday.
A new Seattle-based company makes titanium folding bikes.
West Seattle Cyclery went out of business this winter, the last day for Bike So Good in Georgetown is tomorrow, and Sprocketts Recycled Cycles in Interbay is struggling to pay the rent. So, this is a good reminder to support your local bike shop by getting fenders installed for the rainy weather or getting a winter tune-up so you’re ready for riding later this spring.

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Fundraiser Countdown: 28 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. 1
- Crucible Brewing’s Dollar Off Night for Riding Two Wheels
- 7pm, Point 83 Ride
Friday, Feb. 2
- Going Out of Business Sale for Bikes So Good bike shop (Georgetown), last day.
Saturday, Feb. 3
- 9am-2pm, Cascade’s Seattle Bike Swap
- 11am-2pm, SLOW Ride through Seattle’s Black History
Sunday, Feb. 4
- 9:30am-Noon, Super Bicycle Ride (Orting)
Monday, Feb. 5
- 6:30pm, Moxie Monday Monthly Ride
Tuesday, Feb. 6
Thursday, Feb. 8
- Crucible Brewing’s Dollar Off Night for Riding Two Wheels
- ◦ 7pm, Point 83 Ride

ARTICLES & POSTS

There’s a new (high-end) folding bike company in town. Seattle Cycles makes the “Burke 20,” which is made of titanium and folds similarly to a Brompton. Seattle Cycles also makes an electric version. (Bicycling)
Tom Fucoloro and his wife Kelli Refer recently had a child (Fiona); he writes why he may or may not be writing as much on his blog. Congrats, welcome & best wishes to Tom, Kelli, & Fiona! (Seattle Bike Blog)
“Seattle Bike Swap: More than meets the eye,” (Cascade).
“Spring is in the Air at the Seattle Bike Swap,” (Seattle Times).
REC Riders, an Auburn mountain bike group, is receiving $40,000 from the King County Youth and Amateur Sports Grants program (King Co. DNRP).
Compass Cycle’s Bon Jon Pass tire was scored as one of the fastest tires in the world (Jan Heine’s Blog).
“Myth #4: Stiffer Frames are Faster,” (Jan Heine’s Blog).

POLICY & INFRASTRUCTURE

ACTION

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday, Feb. 2
- 5:30-7:30pm, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways Annual Volunteer Party
Saturday, Feb. 3
- CANCELLED: Cascade’s Big Ideas Festival
Tuesday, Feb. 6
- 4-5pm, Tacoma Downtown on the Go’s “How to Speak Up: Advocacy Training”
- 6:30-8pm, West Seattle Bike Connections meeting
Wednesday, Feb. 7
- 6-8pm, Seattle Bike Advisory Board meeting

NEWS

Burke-Gilman Trail
- Missing Link. Yesterday, the Seattle Hearings Examiner ruled against the appellants to the City of Seattle’s environmental impact study to complete the Burke-Gilman Trail through Ballard. So, after 50 years since the very first citizen advocacy committee organized itself to promote the building of the Burke-Gilman Trail, the trail may finally get completed. But before we get too excited, the appellants will likely appeal the decision to King County Superior Court and are already lobbying Mayor Durkan heavily. (Cascade, Stranger, Seattle Times, Seattle Bike Blog, Curbed, KOMO, MyBallard)
- Mudslide. Over the weekend, the heavy rain over the weekend caused a mudslide and tree to block the Burke-Gilman Trail near NE 125th Street. Seattle Parks & Rec crews were out cleaning up the mess. (KIRO)
Northgate Pedestrian Bridge
- SDOT and North Seattle College are still negotiating the final alignment of the future bridge that will connect the college campus directly into the future Northgate Light Rail Station, and further delays in decision-making could cause construction completion to occur after the station opens in 2021. In addition to connecting the college to the University of Washington, Seattle Central College, and Seattle University (as well as many additional colleges in 2024 when light rail is extended to Lynnwood, Redmond, and Federal Way), the bridge will be a lynchpin to the future 100th Street Neighborhood Greenway. (Seattle Times)
NE 65th Street Safety Project
- SDOT has updated its designs for the NE 65th Street Safety Project, reflecting community feedback from its latest open house (SDOT).
- The high school junior who designed a better NE 65th Street continued to receive press attention for his work (GeekWire).
Battery Street Tunnel
- Rather than filling it with dirt & rubble, there’s an effort to repurpose the Battery Street Tunnel for walking, biking, or buses once the new SR99 Tunnel opens to traffic later this year (Urbanist).
Bellevue/Kirkland
- The railroad rails and ties are being removed from the Eastside Rail Corridor (photos by Eastside Trail Advocates).
Sammamish
- East Lake Sammamish Trail. Last week, the recently completed southern segment of the East Lake Sammamish Trail was officially opened (Sammamish Reporter).
- For the City of Sammamish’s Transportation Master Plan, Fehr & Peers (a consultant) presented three options for how the city can make transportation investments by prioritizing different things: intracity connections, car & bus commuters, or safety of people walking, biking, and driving (Sammamish Reporter).
Pierce County
- Bonney Lake. The City Council is considering a growth strategy to develop three centers, including a Downtown Center with complete streets for people walking and biking and a Lake Tapps Center, where the Allan Yorke Park will have a BMX course (The News Tribune)
- Tacoma Safe Routes to School. Thanks to advocacy by the Puyallup Watershed Initiative, the City of Tacoma passed a Safe Routes to School Action Plan last year and will implement a SRTS curriculum in the public schools in the 2018-19 school year (Environmental Mag).
- Point Defiance Park Upgrades. The Tacoma Metropolitan Parks and City of Tacoma planners are considering major upgrades to Point Defiance Park, including a Wilson Way bike bridge (Tacoma Weekly).
Welcoming People to the Region
- Region will have 6 million people in 2050, says PSRC (Urbanist).
Olympia
- The City of Olympia is planning major sidewalk and bike lane improvements to its downtown (Olympian).

SPORT

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, Feb. 3
- 9am-Noon, Rocket Ride (Metier)
- 9am-2pm, West Side Mountain Bike Series: Soaring Eagle Park
- 3-6pm, BMX: Fastest Cat in the Barn All Ages Open Series (Port Orchard)
Sunday, Feb. 4
- 10-11:30am, Washington State Indoor BMX Barnstormer Series (Port Orchard)
Wednesday, Feb. 7
- 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 2017, more than a thousand bikes were reported as 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.