Archive for the ‘Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update’ Category

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John Pucher to address bicycling and walking in Seattle

Tuesday, June 4th, 2013 by

Ahead of the International Bicycle Urbanism Symposium, Cascade Bicycle Club, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, University of Washington Transportation Services and the Sierra Club Washington Chapter are teaming up to bring you an educational evening with professor John Pucher.

Pucher is one of our nation’s leading researchers in the analysis of international best practices that make bicycling and walking safe, enjoyable and accessible to everyone.

In his talk, Pucher will document the recent boom in bicycling in both European and North American cities. He’ll show how cycling can thrive even in cities with no history or culture of daily, utilitarian cycling if government policies provide safe, convenient and pleasant bicycling conditions. Similarly, Pucher argues that government policies and supportive measures are key to increase walking.

We’ll learn from Dr. Pucher that Seattle –like dozens of cities in North America that have more than doubled its participation in cycling since 1990 –is on the right path, but has much room for improvement. He will discuss some of the specific measures being proposed in the Seattle Bike Master Plan Update as well as some political strategies needed to increase walking and cycling while also making them safer.

Pucher’s talk will take place Tuesday, June 18, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at University of Washington’s Gowen Hall in room 201. Seating is limited; please RSVP!

 

Posted in Advocacy, Around town, Complete streets, Events, Greenways, Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update | 1 Comment »

A new round of Seattle Bike Master Plan Update Open Houses

Thursday, May 23rd, 2013 by

SDOT will kick off a new round of Seattle Bike Master Plan Open Houses in June to give the public one last chance to looked at and comment on the citywide map of proposed bike infrastructure and programs.

SDOT's Bike Network Map

SDOT will host three Open Houses as well as once citywide online lunch presentation.

At an Open House, you can expect to:

- get an overview of the updated Draft Bicycle Master Plan

- see a citywide map of proposed bike infrastructure and learn how the maps was designed and refined

- review other parts of the draft plan – programs, project prioritization, end-of-trip facilities, maintenance and funding strategies

- share your opinions

The Open Houses will take place from 6 until 7 p.m. on

- Wednesday, June 5, at City Hall, 600 4th Avenue

- Wednesday, June 12, at the Columbia Branch Library, 4721 Rainier Avenue South

- Thursday, June 13, at Roosevelt High School, 1410 NE 66th St

You can watch the live online presentation on Thursday, June 6, from noon until 1 p.m. from your computer. Register here.

Read our previous Seattle Bike Master Plan blog posts, here.

Posted in Advocacy, Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update | 1 Comment »

How to be an awesome bike-commuting mama

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013 by
Photo Credit: Trevor Block

Photo Credit: Trevor Block

My little girl Audrey is my  sunshine and she is my stoker. From her bicycle throne behind my saddle, she loves to slap my bum and cry “Go FASTER, Mama!”. My husband finds this hilarious.

I had been looking forward to commuting with Audrey since way before she was born. We were going to ride all over town, singing songs and waving to one and all. We were going to soak up the sun and laugh off the rain.

I was going to be an awesome bike-commuting mama.

I have toured thousands of miles by bicycle, exploring several countries and states. I have raced alongside the fierce ladies of Team Group Health. And I can confidently hold my own in downtown traffic alongside cars and trucks and buses…in high heels.

Yet despite all my experience, all my years of commuting, all my street savvy, I was not prepared for the challenges of biking with kids.

So what’s an awesome bike commuting mama to do? Here’s what I’ve learned:

- Re-consider your route. Find a route that is safer (to accommodate the precious cargo) and flatter (to accommodate the extra weight), even if it’s longer. My kid routes are sometimes a couple miles longer but way more enjoyable.

- Prepare. Pack the night before. You KNOW what it’s like getting out the door with kids.

- Allow extra time. Even with good preparation, it will take you longer to get out the door. The extra weight will slow you down a bit. And you will need to stop along the way to snack, potty, warm up and/or melt down.

- Layers. In the winter, dress kids in an extra layer than you wear (remember that they aren’t exercising). In the summer, apply sunscreen. I’ve also learned that sleeves and pants that are just a tad too long will adequately cover tender baby skin when they are seated.

- Keep it fun. Point out cool stuff along the way (kids love construction sites, nesting ducks, random soccer practice). Include a new park in your route and stop for a play break. Sing songs or play I spy along the way.

- Keep em busy. Audrey especially loved having a small toy to hold along the way. I tethered it to her seat in case she dropped it or nodded off. All the same, don’t bring great grandmother’s china doll.

 

Want to learn more? Cascade Bicycle Club offers additional resources, including our new Family Biking Program. And local blog TotCycle  offers information and organizes Kidical Mass rides around town.
Have a biking with babes tip of your own? Do tell!

Posted in Advocacy, Around town, Bike Month, Commute Challenge, Family biking, Kids on bikes, Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update, Women ride bikes | 8 Comments »

Will a complete streets redevelopment of 23rd Ave improve safety for people on bikes?

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 by

How do you envision a safe and accessible 23rd Avenue?

Improvement is coming for those who bike between the South End and University District, it is just a question of where these improvements will be made — on 23rd Ave. or a parallel route?

Starting in 2014, the Seattle Department of Transportation will begin a repaving, transit efficiency and complete streets re-evaluation of 23rd Ave. from East John St. to Rainier Ave. South, as reported earlier on the Seattle Bike Blog. As public outreach for the project continues, SDOT already has plans to electrify transit, install transit signal priority and improve the pedestrian environment on what is currently a four-lane arterial. However, as the city is still considering whether bicycle improvements will be made along 23rd Ave. as a component of this complete streets project. The upcoming March 2 Open House is a great opportunity to provide input about the issues and needs surrounding bicycle access along and across this corridor.

What could a “complete streets” redevelopment of 23rd Ave. mean for bicycles?

23rd Ave. represents a critical connection between the south end and the University District. Significant destinations impacted by the project corridor include the revitalizing commercial corner at 23rd and E Union, Garfield High School, the I-90 trail and the future light rail station at I-90.

The Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update’s preliminary draft bicycle network recommended protected bike lanes as the desired bicycle facility along the 23rd Ave. corridor, while also identifying the Central District thoroughfare as a “multi-modal corridor,” given the heavy demands for all modes operating in the limited right of way. For instance, Bus 48, running from Mt. Baker to the University District via 23rd Ave. and continuing north to Loyal Heights, is one of the busiest routes in King County. About 6,900 people ride daily on just the southern section.

The city is currently undergoing a Transit Reliability Study to help determine if 23rd Ave can support a three-lane cross-section while maintaining transit reliability and efficiency. While transit is a high priority for 23rd Ave, the majority of the corridor experiences motor vehicle volumes well below the threshold needed to support a three-lane cross-section, which would ultimately make it safer for people to travel by all modes along and across the corridor.

While complete streets are designed to enable safe, attractive and comfortable travel for all users, space constraints throughout the corridor may limit which modes the redesign of 23rd Ave. can prioritize. The City is exploring options to improve pedestrian safety and access through the project; however, the City is preliminarily proposing favoring an alternative, parallel route to support bicycling given the constrained roadway width and concerns about conflicts between bicycle traffic and transit on the corridor. Whether 23rd Ave. can accommodate a bicycle facility that will be safe and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities will be determined by the results of the study as well as input from the community.

How do you envision a safe and accessible 23rd Ave? The city is interested in hearing from you!

Join SDOT at an open house on Saturday, March 2, to learn more about the project from the design team. If you are unable to attend the open house, you can still comment on the project by contacting the Project Manager, Lorelei Williams at (206) 684-5178 or by email.

Open House Details

When: Saturday, March 2
Where: Garfield Community Center, 2323 East Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98122
What Time: 2 to 4 p.m.

We hope to see you there!

Posted in Advocacy, Complete streets, Meetings & turnout, Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Transportation Action Agenda Progress Report highlights the vision of bicycling

Friday, February 15th, 2013 by

On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Mayor Mike McGinn and the Seattle Department of Transportation released the Transportation Action Agenda Progress Report, highlighting accomplishments from the past year and new initiatives for 2013.

Progress: Linden Avenue cycle track

“We’re working hard to build a great transportation network that meets the needs of a growing, thriving city,” said McGinn in a statement. “We’re filling potholes, planning new rail lines, and providing safer facilities for everyone using our roads.”

Progress has been made in what SDOT considers “the basics” – maintenance projects like filling potholes, (re)paving roads and replacing street name signs – as well as making roads more accessible for everyone.

Last year SDOT began construction on the Linden Avenue and 65th Street cycle tracks, installed 15 new lane-miles of bike lanes and/or sharrows, improved 47 pedestrian crossings, built 12 new blocks of sidewalk, and more.

The action agenda report promises more improvements to come in 2013, including speeding up key transit projects, improving neighborhood-to-neighborhood connections and better pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.

“Bicycling is a great way to get around our city and should be an option for everyone,” the report states, mentioning that construction on the Broadway cycle track will begin soon and neighborhood greenways are being developed in Ballard, Beacon Hill, and Delridge.

The report also mentions that SDOT is planning more cycle tracks and neighborhood greenways across Seattle.  As a part of the Bicycle Master Plan update, SDOT will recommend cycle tracks on a network of city streets, including streets in downtown.

“It’s exciting to see the action agenda highlighting the vision of bicycling being an option for everyone, from an eight-year-old to his 80-year-old grandmother, to safely get around Seattle,” said Craig Benjamin, Cascade’s Policy and Government Affairs Manager. “We look forward to working with the Mayor and City Council to fund the network of protected bike lanes and neighborhood greenways that would make this vision a reality.”

McGinn is also working to speed up the time frame for two key transit planning projects identified in the Transit Master Plan. The first is an analysis of potential Ship Canal crossings for rail, bicycle and pedestrian use from Ballard to neighborhoods south of the Canal. The second project is planning for the Eastlake high capacity transit corridor connecting downtown to the University District.

This is good news for bicyclists as high capacity transit enables people on bikes to extend their trips by making them multimodal. More importantly, in planning these corridors, the city will also have the opportunity to plan for world-class bikeways to complement the transit lines in these corridors. When designed correctly, high-capacity transit and bicycling are complementary pieces of our overall transportation network and should work hand in hand to provide people with the freedom to safely and conveniently get around Seattle.

For more information, the full Progress Report and Action Agenda are available online.

Posted in Advocacy, News, SDOT, Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Update | No Comments »

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