Seattle Bike Blog

How you can help cycling patriot Alvin, who was assaulted last week

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

January 20, 2015

Image from the GoFundMe page.

As we reported last week, Seattle’s iconic biking patriot Alvin Graham Jr was assaulted outside the Seahawks/Panthers game. Like at so many major sporting and community events, Alvin was riding his bike on a stationary trainer to raise money for veterans’ and their families.

According to Facebook posts, he is having surgery for broken bones in his face after a man in a Seahawks jersey punched him.

You can help him get back on his feet (and back on his USA-themed bike) by tossing some cash his way via this GoFundMe site. There was some confusion about a previous GoFundMe set up by a friend, who told me she jumped the gun a bit when she heard what happened to him. The current page was set up by a family member of Alvin’s.

Get well soon, Alvin! Here’s a Q13 report with more details on what happened: (more…)

tags: alvin graham jr

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City leaders step up to make safety a priority on Roosevelt, here’s how to thank them

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

January 16, 2015

Click to read and sign the University Greenways thank you letter

Neighbors of Roosevelt Way and safe streets advocates were trying to figure out the best strategy to convince city leaders to include bike lane upgrades as part of an upcoming repaving project when something awesome happened: The city announced that they now plan to build protected bike lanes for the entire length of the project, stretching from NE 65th Street to the University Bridge.

This is a smart call, taking advantage of the paving project to build out a key piece of the Bicycle Master Plan at a much lower-than-anticipated cost. It also demonstrates that the city is taking the Bike Plan and the 2007 Complete Streets Ordinance seriously. You can read more about the project in our previous story.

So University Greenways has put together a thank you letter for city leaders, and is asking folks to sign it, noting that “critical safety upgrades to the existing bicycle facility will transform Roosevelt Way NE from one of the most dangerous streets for people biking to one of Seattle’s safest.”

And, of course, you should go to at least one of the city’s upcoming open houses to support the project and give feedback on the plans (they are drop-in sessions, so no need to be there the entire time):

Tuesday, January 20|2 – 3:30 PM: University Heights, 5031 University Way NE

Wednesday, January 21|8 – 9:30 AM: Wayward Coffeehouse, 6417 Roosevelt Way NE

Thursday, January 22 | 5:30 – 7 PM: University Heights, 5031 University Way NE

tags: roosevelt

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Memorial walk Saturday for Leo Almanzor, killed walking to work downtown

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

January 16, 2015

Image from Seattle Neighborhood Greenways

Leo Almanzor worked as a janitor at Washington Athletic Club in downtown Seattle for 17 years. But his walk from the bus to his job took a tragic turn November 22 when someone driving a Honda sedan fled a Seattle Police traffic stop and drove into Leo, killing him. He was 68.

“The family is frustrated at this point, because whoever this person is who took his life, took so much from us,” his niece Cat Kalepo told the Seattle Times.

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and city leaders including SDOT Director Scott Kubly, City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and a representative from the Mayor’s Office will walk Saturday to honor Leo and try to figure out how a tragedy like this can be prevented in the future.

Join them 2 p.m. Saturday at 5th and Pike.

Details from Seattle Neighborhood Greenways: (more…)

tags: leo almanzor, memorial walks, sally bagshaw, scott kubly, seattle neighborhood greenways

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More Westlake Bikeway design details + Construction will start in the fall

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

January 15, 2015

Sample cross-section, from a presentation to the Design Advisory Committee

After an extensive and essentially unprecedented community planning process (at least for a bikeway project), the city is moving into more detailed final design work for the Westlake Bikeway, which will connect the Fremont Bridge and Lake Union Park.

After a huge number of comments, several very large open houses and a series of Design Advisory Committee meetings spanning most of 2014, the city feels like they have a good grasp on the various needs this unique corridor has. The status quo is not working well for anyone, and it is unnecessarily dangerous and uncomfortable for people on bikes. Below is a look at some ways the city hopes to make the corridor work better for everyone.

(more…)

tags: protected bike lanes, westlake, westlake cycle track, westlake design advisory comittee

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Central Area Neighborhood Greenway work will start this month

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

January 15, 2015

Work will begin on the the Central Area Neighborhood Greenway next week, the first piece of a biking and walking route that will someday connect Judkins Park (and the I-90 Trail) to Interlaken Park (and the future 520 Trail) via Garfield and Miller Community Centers.

Constructed in three phases, the first segment is actually the middle phase, running from Jackson to John.

Once completed, it will be the first modern neighborhood greenway in either the Central District or Capitol Hill. It should be finished in “late winter 2015,” according to a project fact sheet.

One of the most important elements of the route, however, will not be ready until the 23rd Ave repaving project is finished in 2016. The greenway route will someday cross 23rd at Columbia Street, which is a future neighborhood greenway candidate itself. But until that crossing is completed as part of the high-budget repaving project, the neighborhood greenway will be routed across 23rd at Cherry, according to project planners. (more…)

tags: central area greenway, central district, maribel cruz

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2014 Pronto Stats: 43,010 miles biked + List of the most popular stations

By

Tom Fucoloro

| Posted

January 14, 2015

Pronto launched in mid-October, just as the rain rolled in and temperatures dropped. So we do not yet have a clear picture of how popular Pronto will be during peak biking weather, though this time has given the Pronto team a chance to work out bugs in the system.

But even in rainy weather, people have biked a total of 43,010 miles on Pronto bikes. That is equivalent to biking around the equator once, then getting 3/4 of the way around again, just in a bit over three months.

On the flip side, the system is averaging half a trip per bike per day, a number that they’re gonna need to grow to meet system use in other successful bike share cities. For example, Capital Bikeshare in DC — which has had several years to establish itself and grow — averaged a bit over two rides per bike per day in November, but nearly four rides per bike per day in September (data from the CaBi Dashboard).

This summer is going to be a big test of Pronto and whether Seattle will fully embrace the concept. It will also be a chance for us to figure out what might be holding riders back, and what effect the county’s rare all-ages helmet law is having on the system. Helmet laws have been known to diminish ridership in bike share systems, though Pronto has tried to lessen this effect by offering free helmet rentals at all stations. (more…)

tags: pronto emerald city cycle share

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