Archive for the ‘Advocacy’ Category

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Keep the Bike Month party rolling at the UW Trail Party

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013 by

Pedal over to the U-District on Thursday, May 23, for the annual UW Trail Party. Join UW Transportation Services and the Cascade Bicycle Club from 4-7 p.m.  for music, free bike fits, basic tune ups, and lots of giveaways along the Burke-Gilman Trail.

We’ll have free drawing at 4:30, 5:30, and 6:30 p.m. where anyone present will have the chance to win great prizes like a Bern Helmet, aMAXXON wireless brake light, aChipotle burrito party for ten, aRacktime Bag or some delicious Theo Chocolate.

Also be sure to check out:

- The UW Commuter Services booth with give-a-ways for first time UW bikers and team captains;
- Membership specials including a free pair of JL Velo socks or $5 off if you join Cascade;
- Free bike fits and SmartID tags from Real Rehab and R2 Bicycles;
- UW Police doing bike registrations;
- Student Health Advisory Quorum selling discounted safety gear;
- Performance Bicycle providing free bike checks and basic maintenance;
- Information about World Bicycle Relief and the Red-Bell 100 ride;
- Free samples from Honest Tea;
- And Cascade’s own dj Dyno GT will be spinning tunes.

The event will take place in the park just off of the Burke-Gilman Trail betweenUniversity Way and Brooklyn Ave. We hope to see you there!

Posted in Around town, Bike Month, Burke-Gilman Trail, Events | 4 Comments »

We’re hiring!

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 by

Cascade is looking to hire a new Policy and Government Affairs Manager, someone who will influence major policy and infrastructure to further our goal of getting more people riding bikes, with specific focus on Seattle and the Puget Sound region.

In partnership with the Policy, Planning and Government Affairs team, the manager informs, develops and implements Cascade’s policy and advocacy programs.  The manager will advocate for and mobilize allies to support bicycle friendly policies, infrastructure and funding at the local and regional levels.

Please read the announcement and full job description, here.

To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, three professional references and a relevant writing sample (no more than four pages long) all in a single PDF document to resume@cascadebicycleclub.org. Please mention how you heard about the position.

Applications are due June 4, 2013.

Posted in Advocacy, Club news, Jobs | 8 Comments »

More Spokane Street savings frees more funding for road safety projects

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013 by

Mayor Mike McGinn today announced a proposal for $3.25 million in transportation investments made possible by additional savings from the Spokane Street viaduct project. These investments include pavement maintenance and bicycle safety improvements on East Marginal Way in SoDo, improvements to Lower Spokane Street, a cycle track on the Westlake Avenue corridor on the west side of Lake Union, pedestrian projects, and funding for transit-oriented design near light rail stations.

Last month McGinn announced $11.75 million in transportation investments resulting from savings on the Spokane Street Viaduct project. Those savings occurred because of cost savings due to a favorable bidding climate and strong management of this $163 million project. Today’s funding comes from additional project savings, bringing the total savings to $15 million.

“We have heard from the public that they want safety improvements on our roads,” said McGinn in a statement. “These improvements will help protect safety for people on these busy corridors whether they’re in their cars and trucks, on foot, or on a bicycle.”

The $3.25 million in funding will be used for the following projects:

- Improvements to East Marginal Way in SoDo

$700,000 for pavement maintenance, restriping, and exploring interim cycle track options to provide further separation of bicycles and auto traffic.

$200,000 will be included for conceptual planning and pre-design for a permanent reconstruction to the road, which will also include a long-term design of separated bicycle facilities such as a cycle track.

- Westlake Avenue Cycle Track

$1.2 million for final design and construction of this project to improve separation between bicycles and vehicles and link the Ship Canal trail to South Lake Union. When combined with previous funding from the City and Puget Sound Regional Council, this project will have $2.3 million of funding which may be enough to build the facility depending on final design.

- $500,000 for Lower Spokane Street Safety Improvements. Project elements will be developed with input from the community, the Port, and other stakeholders and may include:

Improving pavement conditions along the pathway.

Improving crossing at Port driveways

Improving crossing for bicyclists at Chelan (5-way) intersection.

Improving crossing for bicyclists from the path to SW Avalon Way/SW Admiral Way.

Increase separation for bicyclists on SW Admiral Way.

Improving Delridge to Andover connection to the bicycle path.

- $400,000 for implementation of the Pedestrian Master Plan

- $250,000 for transit-oriented design in multiple neighborhoods:

Study at Rainier Avenue South and Martin Luther King Jr. Way South to identify alternatives, conduct a traffic analysis, conceptual design, develop conceptual cost estimates and conduct public outreach

New transportation analysis near Roosevelt light rail station, assessing station area access issues including evaluation of the Roosevelt/11th one-way couplet

Station access and transit-oriented design near Othello Station

 

This is in addition to the previously announced $11.75 million in transportation investments from Spokane Street Viaduct savings.

Posted in Advocacy, News, Road & Trail News | 4 Comments »

Kirkland Greenways gaining momentum

Monday, May 13th, 2013 by

Since Kirkland Greenways kicked off the greenways movement on the Eastside with its first meeting in February, they’ve been busy with public meetings, presentations to neighborhood associations and the Kirkland transportation commission and organizing rides.

Turns out that there are many people around Kirkland who really care about making neighborhood streets safer for all users.

Ready to learn more about greenways in Kirkland? Want be part of the greenways movement?  Attend one of the upcoming events in and around Kirkland:

Kirkland Greenways will be presenting on

- Tuesday, May 14, at the South Rose Hill/Bridle Trails neighborhood association meeting.  This meeting will take place at Lake Washington United Methodist, from 7-9 p.m.

- Monday, May 20, at the North Rose Hill Neighborhood Association meeting. This meeting will take place at Fire Station#26, 7-9 p.m.

KG will also be present and available for questions at the following events:

- Finn Hill Neighborhood Association meeting on Wednesday, May 29, at Finn Hill Jr. High, from  6:30-7 p.m.
- Walk ‘n’ Roll Safety Fair on Friday, June 7, at Juanita Beach Park from  3-7 p.m.

Posted in Advocacy, Eastside, Greenways | 1 Comment »

Shutting down TWO lanes of I-5?

Monday, May 13th, 2013 by

Imagine if two lanes of I-5 were shut down. You would face an unprecedented traffic nightmare. 

You wouldn’t be able to get to work on time. It would take hours to pick up your kids from school. It would be painful to get just about anywhere.

Now imagine if the only reason these lanes were closed was the Washington State Department of Transportation couldn’t do its job. I don’t know about you, but I would be pretty angry.

This is basically what’s about to happen unless the state legislature grants King County Metro a new long-term funding solution to replace its current temporary stop-gap funding. If the legislature doesn’t act now, Metro will be forced to cut 17 percent of our bus service.

Since 400,000 people ride the bus on an average work day, a 17 percent cut would mean 68,000 people would be forced to drive or simply not be able to get where they need to go. That’s the equivalent of shutting down two lanes of I-5, simply because the legislature couldn’t do its job.

There are two ways you can help save our buses and prevent a traffic nightmare:

1. Contact your state representatives and tell them you support a transportation bill that includes state support and local funding options for transit and safe streets.

2. Attend a Public Hearing of the King County Council and tell them how bus cuts would affect you:

Tuesday, May 14
3:30 p.m. open house
4:00 p.m. public testimony
Union Station, 401 S Jackson St, Seattle

 

This is about more than preventing a traffic nightmare. It’s about providing people with the basic freedom to get where they need to go.

Like 10,000 other people in the Puget Sound region every week, I load my bike on the bus to get to work. My wife needs our car to drop the kids off at day care on her way to work, so I rely on the bus to get to work and make a living. Hundreds of thousands of your friends and neighbors rely on the bus to get to work, school, shops, restaurants, and places of worship.

A 17 percent cut in bus service would be devastating for all of us. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Prevent a traffic nightmare, tell your state representatives to save our buses.

Posted in Advocacy, Meetings & turnout | 1 Comment »

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