Seattle Bike Blog

By killing Pronto, Seattle could become the center of private bike share innovation

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

April 28, 2017

Photo from a Spin pilot launch in Austin during SXSW. Image from Spin.

The Pronto docks have been scrubbed from city streets. As much as I am sad to see it go and feel the system never got a fair shot at success, it’s done. Time to move on and look to the future of bike share in Seattle.

And we may not need to wait long.

“We’re very optimistic for bike share in Seattle,” said Derrick Ko, CEO of a San Fransisco-based stationless bike share startup called Spin.

Spin bikes are free-floating. Open up their mobile app to find a bike near you. Walk to it and scan the QR code on the bike to unlock the rear wheel. Bike to your destination and park it using the kickstand. Lock the wheel to end your trip. And that’s it. It’s basically Car2Go, but a bicycle.

But here’s the kicker: It only costs $1 per ride (Bluegogo is $1 for 30 min, Spin says “Ride for $1”). Dock-based bike share systems cannot touch that price.

So when is Spin going to launch in Seattle?

“As soon as possible,” said Ko, who was previously a product manager at Lyft. Spin staff recently flew out to Seattle to meet people and check out the possibilities for themselves. “For a top tier city in the US, it’s really rare to not have some form of bike share.” (more…)

tags: bike share, bluegogo, derrick ko, ilya movshovich, Lisa herbold, spin, tim burgess

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Which of these awesome bike/walk bridges to Totem Lake is the most awesome?

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

April 27, 2017

Concept area map from the Cross Kirkland Corridor Master Plan.

Kirkland staff lead a ride January 2016 showing off the Cross Kirkland Corridor and talking about the bridge over this busy intersection near Totem Lake

The City of Kirkland wants to know: Which of these awesome bike/walk bridge designs is the most awesome?

The Cross Kirkland Corridor trail effectively ends today at NE 124th Street near the intersection with Totem Lake Blvd NE, but the city wants to continue it north to connect into the under-development plans in the Totem Lake area and help the trail reach the city’s border with Woodinville near the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery and the Sammamish River Trail.

But to that, they need to get the trail across this big intersection. The Cross Kirkland Corridor Master Plan calls for a biking and walking bridge spanning the two streets and avoiding the high-power lines at the north end. Though the project is still seeking another $5.8 million or so according the CKC website, the city is moving forward with design work.

They have received four bridge concepts to choose from, all of which hope to become an iconic part of the area in addition to carrying people using the trail over the busy streets.

You can let the city know which one you prefer via an online survey. Here are the concepts: (more…)

tags: cross kirkland corridor, eastside trail, kirkland, totem lake

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Options for a redesigned E Marginal Way + Regional leadership needed to connect to S King County

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

April 26, 2017

Today is the last day to comment on SDOT’s E Marginal Way online open house.

The city is working on a major reconstruction and redesign of the industrial street that also serves as one of the most vital bike connections for West Seattle, the Duwamish Valley and beyond.

As a regional bike route, the street must include a complete, safe and intuitive facility. At the same time, this street is somewhat unusual in that it has low personal car traffic (though that could change when the downtown tunnel highway opens). Instead, the mix is mostly people walking and biking and people driving very large trucks to access the Port of Seattle driveways. It’s a street that almost only has the extremes in vehicle sizes, and that may actually be an opportunity instead of a problem.

E Marginal Way is the city’s best chance to showcase how comfortable, predictable and separated biking and walking routes are good for freight.

It’s obvious that the modes cannot mix, and on that point essentially everyone agrees. This need is highlighted by the tragic May 2013 death of Lance David at E Marginal and S Hanford. David was the father of twins who lived in Federal Way and biked to work in downtown Seattle. (more…)

tags: alki trail, allentown, auburn, don brubeck, duwamish valley, georgetown, kent, king county, lance david, marginal way, south king county, south park, southcenter, tukwila, west seattle, west seattle bike connections

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Bikepacking to Dosewallips State Park (and some rainy ‘type II’ fun)

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

April 25, 2017

Editor’s Note: There are few places on earth as well-suited for bikepacking trips than Washington State. If you bike regularly and your standard trip includes at least one hill, then you are more than ready to load your bike with camping gear and set out on an amazing adventure. Below is one somewhat ambitious trip idea. I’m hoping to keep bringing you bikepacking reports (email [email protected] if you want to share your trip). For some good starter ideas, see this post by Martina Brimmer at Swift Industries, this post by Marley Blonsky and get copy of Cycling Sojourner Washington by Ellee Thalheimer.

Three friends and I took advantage of a break in 2017’s seemingly endless rain to hop a ferry to Bainbridge and head out on a bike adventure across the Kitsap Peninsula and along the north side of the Hood Canal destined for Dosewallips State Park.

It was overly ambitious for us, especially since we were not able to start biking out of Bainbridge until 1 p.m. due to work schedules. We like to take our time and take lots of breaks when biking, so we were going to have to push it to get to the camp in time to set up tents and make dinner before sunset. Spoiler: We didn’t make it, but we ended up in an even cooler spot instead.

Here’s our basic route (we didn’t use GPS, but this Google route is mostly correct):

(more…)

tags: bainbridge island, bike camping, bikepacking, brinnon, dosewallips state park, hood canal, hood canal bridge, port gamble, quilcene, suquamish

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Wanna lead the largest statewide bike organization in the country?

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

April 21, 2017

Read the full position profile (PDF)

Five months after Elizabeth Kiker announced her resignation, Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes have released the job listing for the joint organization’s next Executive Director.

Cascade Bicycle Club was already the largest regional bike organization in the nation even before merging with WA Bikes in December 2015. Now it is the largest statewide bike organization.

The new ED will oversee 40 staff members (including, full disclosure, my incredible spouse Kelli) and a $5.6 million budget, according to the extended job listing (PDF). The organization also claims more than 17,000 members. Compared to other bike organizations in the country, Cascade and WA Bikes are in a league of their own.

The position will be open until filled. More details from Cascade/WA Bikes: (more…)

tags: cascade bicycle club, washington bikes

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Citing new ‘exciting candidates,’ Salomon drops out of mayoral race

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

April 20, 2017

Photo from Salomon’s campaign.

When Andres Salomon arrived at UW Station with a cargo bike full of homemade tamales and announced his campaign for Seattle mayor, he did so because it seemed nobody else was preparing to challenge the well-funded and seemingly-popular incumbent Ed Murray.

Though Salomon (a past-and-hopefully-future contributor to Seattle Bike Blog) was concerned about three years of “city mismanagement,” he said he couldn’t find anyone willing to run against Murray.

“I wanted a Mayor who would make the city a better place,” he said in a statement explaining his departure from the race. “I asked a number of people to run against Murray. I begged people. I asked Councilmember O’Brien. I asked fellow activists. I brought it up in meetings. Everyone I spoke to said no. I felt I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t have any real desire to become a career politician, but I believed that I could do better than Murray.”

But that has since changed. “Over the past two weeks, the race has been completely transformed,” he said in his statement.

A month after announcing his campaign February 1, Nikkita Oliver also entered the race (Salomon welcomed her to the race). Most mainstream political attention was still focused on the open City Council Position 8 at-large seat (Tim Burgess is not seeking reelection), though Oliver had a big campaign launch event and has a lot of grassroots momentum and a growing campaign account.

Then a lawsuit alleging Murray sexually abused a teenager in the 80 hit the headlines in early April, and the number of candidates started growing. Murray denies the allegations.

With Former Mayor Mike McGinn and waterfront champion Cary Moon both in the race, Salomon said he would rather not “split the vote with other who share my values” and would instead support them. “I look forward to a better Mayor in 2018,” he concluded. (more…)

tags: 2017 mayoral race, andres salomon

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