Though built-up neighborhoods and commercial districts in the county have a lot of work to do to become safe and comfortable places for people on bikes, the recreational opportunities are definitely stellar.
This is also why the county, region and state should work together to rebuild and improve the Whitehorse Trail, which was destroyed along with many homes and lives in the Oso Landslide.
The video below it the latest manifestation of the county’s bike marketing effort. What do you think?
Image from SDOTHow shared turn lanes will work. Image from SDOT
Dexter Ave will be closed overnight Monday and Tuesday between Denny and Mercer so crews can repaint the street with a new complete streets design that includes wide parking-protected bike lanes and a center turn lane.
Construction work is not totally finished on the street, though. While work is wrapping up near Harrison, it is ongoing near Republican. And, of course, Mercer construction changes are still in place.
The new street design, which was designed by SDOT but paid for by WSDOT as part of the deep bore tunnel project, will also be the city’s first experiment in using a NACTO-approved low-budget protected bike lane design that involves shared bus stops and right turn lanes. Buses will also still pull to the curb instead of bus islands like were installed on the north section of Dexter.
The big question will be whether shared bus stops and turn lanes meet the “all ages and abilities” standard pushed by safe streets groups. And, of course, we will be watching closely to see if the left turn conflicts are solved by addition of the wider bike lanes and the new center turn lane. People making quick left turns were how Mike Wang was killed and how Brandon Blake was seriously injured on Dexter in recent years.
More details on the overnight closures, from WSDOT: (more…)
Image from the LeagueImage of Senator Patty Murray from WA Bikes
Washington Bikes, the statewide bike advocacy organization, has helped add a measure in the Federal budget to improve road safety across the nation. Working with Washington Senator Patty Murray, the League of American Bicyclists and WA Bikes worked to make sure the safety of non-motorized travelers is considered by USDOT and state transportation departments.
It’s not often WA Bikes has a hand in influencing national policy, so this is pretty exciting for the Pioneer Square-based non-profit.
In essence, the budget tells USDOT to develop a “non-motorized safety performance measure” by next autumn. States will also need to “set a goal of reducing biking and walking fatalities in their state, and report back on their progress,” according to a joint press release from WA Bikes and the League.
The organizations are asking their supporters to thank Senator Murray for her work to make sure this makes it into the budget. You can do so using the League’s handy web app.
More details from the League and WA Bikes: (more…)
Cathy Tuttle speaks to Seattle Neighborhood Greenways volunteers and supporters at Washington Hall
Seattle Neighborhood Greenways held their year-end party for volunteers and supporters Thursday, which included an award ceremony highlighting some the people and projects that have been making an impact on the cause of street safety in Seattle.
I actually didn’t know before I got there that I was nominated for the final award of the night: The 2014 Greenways Champion Award. And I won! Thanks, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways — especially hard-working Gordon and Cathy — for the ego boost. And sorry everyone around me who now has to put up with me referring to myself as “the award-winning Tom Fucoloro.”
But in all seriousness, I hope everyone realizes how special Seattle Neighborhood Greenways is. Essentially no other city that I have heard of have an organization like them, which is based on the principle that, with some organizing help and encouragement, neighbors will rise to the challenge to advocate for safer streets for all people in their neighborhoods. The central concept of this group is that if you provide the space for a leader, a leader (or group of leaders) will rise to meet the challenge. And that’s what has happened in neighborhoods all across the city and now around Lake Washington.
So I am super honored to get this award from them. Part of this award is owed to every blog subscriber, who have been pitching in monthly to allow Seattle Bike Blog to be a full-time source of bike news and opinion. I am proud of whatever role this blog has played in helping neighbors connect to each other through Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and start organizing for safer streets. As a reminder, you can learn how to connect and get involved by finding your neighborhood on this map. If you don’t see your neighborhood listed, then maybe it’s time to step up and start one.
While the state’s Highway 99 tunnel project’s recent serious and scary mishaps show a massive transportation investment gone awry, it’s important to highlight the absolutely incredible work Seattle is doing to increase safety near the city’s schools.
Using a relatively small budget, the city’s Safe Routes to School program is getting big results. This program shows government transportation work at its very best, saving kids from traffic collisions and making neighborhoods better for everyone.
And now you can help them identify even more locations near Seattle schools (public or private). The city launched a wikimap to crowdsource traffic danger spots near schools. And this isn’t some toothless exercise: The city will pick 12 locations from this map and build them within the next couple years.
