Comments on: Burke-Gilman Missing Link: Chapter 516 – A victory and one step closer

By: John

John — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:43:25 +0000

BJ: very timely! We’re working on a blog piece right now, since the argument is this Friday in Superior Court.

By: BJ

BJ — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:40:21 +0000

An update on the status of this litigation is long overdue.

By: Ballard Bridge repainting project « Cascade Bicycle Club Blog

Ballard Bridge repainting project « Cascade Bicycle Club Blog — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:56:09 +0000

[...] Ask a roomful of Seattle bicyclists to identify dangerous places to ride a bike, and the Ballard Bridge will quickly rise to the top of the list, second only to its notorious neighbor, the Missing Link. [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 22:56:19 +0000

Ron and James, yes. They filed another last-minute appeal, delaying the trail as long as they can.

By: James

James — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:43:19 +0000

Great question, Ron. Anybody heard anything?

By: Ron Whitman

Ron Whitman — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:04:20 +0000

Did they file an appeal?

The article says that “Ballard Business Appellants” have until 7/22 to file an appeal. Did they?

By: Jill

Jill — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:30:32 +0000

I had near miss on the railroad tracks and I’ve got a route (during the long wait) that involves going North to Leary Ave. It’s part sidewalk and part road (I’ve got a child on the back of my bike and for me if a sidewalk is safer, I use it.) I am careful at the intersection where the Ballard Bridge (15th NW) traffic comes down to Leary Ave, because I’ve seen many vehicular crashes there as well as pedestrian near-misses. But compared to the pavement/track issues with Missing Link as it now exists, I believe this route is safer.

I take exception to one thought in the above article, “You’d even be able to bike with your kids out to Golden Gardens without fearing for your—or their—safety.”

I ride every day, most days with my child. Those who have never ridden with kids may not understand the risk calculations involved. When the Missing Link is finally complete, I believe it will still be a higher risk segment of the Burke Gilman Trail than any other. As a parent and a carless daily bicycle rider, I will ride it, but never without an intense level of attention to the many entries and egresses, and the vehicular attitudes of those who may still consider the area to be their inviolate parking sanctuary.

By: Jim E.

Jim E. — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:36:50 +0000

CBC should bring the Ballard Business Appellants to the south side of the ship canal to see how the trail can work successfully. I too work in the maritime sector but was thrilled to see the continuation of the mixed use trail from SPU to Zoka Coffee. the driveways are well marked, there is even blinkin lights to notify when the gate is opening to the shipyard. It took the bikes off the pothole covered gravel road and put them on a dedicated lane out of the traffic pattern of industial trucks and vehicles. The local employees were educated on the new traffic pattern and it really seems safer now.

These Ballard Business Appellants were even fighting the Nickerson Street road diet modifications, but that too has improved safety without all the congestion nightmares they predicted.

Not all busineess are against the trail. just these noisy ones.

By: Kevin Carrabine

Kevin Carrabine — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 05:17:16 +0000

Thanks John for a very timely post – we heard tonight from Eugene Wasserman of the North Seattle Industrial Assn. that ‘it’s all about safety’ but the continued lawsuits to delay construction of a safely designed trail belie that statement.

I don’t get it, really..but it seems to be about territory and ownership -a sort of nimbyism that says, ‘ this is our street, not yours. ‘

Elizabeth, one way to support the work Cascade does on behalf of completing the Burke-Gilman Trail is to donate to the CBC Education Foundation, http://www.cbcef.org/donate.html. Your donation will be used to help pay legal expenses that CBC incurs in support of the City as it fights the unending appeals.

Kevin in Ballard

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 03:29:14 +0000

I appreciate reading this entry and it has educated me on the ‘missing link’ issue. I wiped out between Fred Myers and Trader Joe’s this week. If a car would have been anywhere close to me I would not be here to read your blog or write a response. I’m now off my bike to recover for the next 3 weeks, torture for the Seattlelite who counts down days until sunshine and warmer weather. I support the work Cascade has done to help bikers become good neighbors with Ballard. Please let the readers know what they can do to support the efforts as we go through the process.