January 2014
New Year’s Resolutions by Elizabeth Kiker, Executive Director
At Cascade Bicycle Club, 2014 is going to be the year of achievements. We’ve resolved to do more to serve you and all people who bike (or who want to bike) in the Puget Sound Region. How? We’re going to listen. From happy hours and policy gatherings to huge events and daily rides, staff and the board are committed to listening to our members and constituents to hear how we can help, how we can serve you better, and where we are needed. We’re going to serve our members. With a communications overhaul (how do you like the new Courier? Let us know at communications@cascadebicycleclub.org.) and a brand-new website and logo, we’re keeping you up-to-date on what we are working on and why. We’re strongly committed to action … NOW. From a powerful advocacy push on the Eastside (shout out to our new hire Taldi Walter!) to the budgeted protected
by Jeff Aken, Principal Planner
Kiker and her husband at the 2013 volunteer party
bike lane in downtown Seattle, this is the time to make a difference in how Seattle moves for the next century. Join us in our work! Email me at elizabeth.kiker@cascadebicycleclub.org to volunteer, ask a question, or discuss next steps. Happy 2014!
City invests in a safer Missing Link CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
organizations, the city and area businesses. “The safety improvements are a crucial interim step, and we look forward to the outcome of the current environmental impact study surrounding the completion of the Missing Link,” said Kiker. “We are confident that the survey results will pave the way for all people to safely making their way to or through Ballard.” Other safety improvements made recently include: • Curb islands at bridge abutments at Northwest 45th Street and 15th Avenue Northwest under the Ballard Bridge • New intersection signage at Ballard Avenue Northwest and Northwest 48th Street, and at Ballard Avenue Northwest and 17th Avenue Northwest • New speed limit sign on Shilshole Avenue Northwest and Northwest 45th Street between Northwest 46th Street and 11th Avenue Northwest
Trail and Ballard neighbors delivered hot chocolate, donuts and a big THANK YOU to SDOT workers along the Missing Link. Thanks to everyone who came out in the rain to support this project!
The original South Ballard Corridor Safety Project called for installing advisory bike lanes and speed humps along Northwest 45th Street. Advisory bike lanes clarify with dotted lines where drivers can expect to see bicyclists within a driving lane. Because this roadway segment is so narrow, one-way motor vehicle travel with a separate bike lane was determined to be a better option. On Saturday, Dec 21, Cascade staff, Friends of the Burke-Gilman
After longstanding safety concerns, SDOT has made the Missing Link safer for bicyclists.
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A Happy New Year: Seattle’s innovative Bicycle Master Plan will go to City Council in early 2014 Separating traffic from people Whether you’re an 8-year-old kid or an 80-year-old grandparent, getting around Seattle on a bike should be safe, easy and comfortable. When fully implemented, Seattle’s ambitious new Bike Master Plan (BMP) will make that vision a reality. The plan focuses on making bicycling a convenient, integral part of daily life and sets out to quadruple ridership between 2014 and 2030. The new plan was presented last month to the City Council for final review and should be adopted in early 2014. The plan includes 473.5 miles of new or upgraded bicycle infrastructure, including off-street paths, protected bike lanes (cycle tracks), and neighborhood greenways through a grid consisting of a “Citywide Network” and “Local Connectors.” The Citywide Network includes both neighborhood destinations and cross-town connections that are safe and comfortable for all ages and abilities. The Local Connectors provide access to the larger network and make it easier to bike within neighborhoods. When fully constructed, Seattle riders will have access to an impressive 608.3 mile network of bicycle facilities. Included in the plan are 27 “catalyst” projects that will dramatically reduce barriers to bicycling and increase safety. Examples of catalyst projects include the “missing link” of the Burke-Gilman Trail, a pedestrian/bike overpass at 47th St connecting the University District to Wallingford and redesigning the intersection at Rainier Ave S and Martin Luther King Jr. Way S to function better for all users and improve access for those walking or riding a bike. With an increased focus on safety, the BMP sets a goal to eliminate fatal bike collisions and cut bicycle collision rates in half by 2030. The BMP emphasizes protected bike lanes, where barriers separate bikes from fast moving vehicle traffic. Protective barriers can include planters, a change in elevation, parked cars or curbing. An example of this type of bike lane can be seen on Broadway in Capitol Hill. Protected bike lanes have resulted in the dramatic growth of people getting around by bike in other cities, including a 190 percent increase on Prospect Park in New York City after a protected lane was installed and also increased safety, with 89 percent fewer injuries among riders on streets with protected bike lanes according to a study in the American Journal of Public Health.
riding bikes is an important part of the Plan’s efforts to increase safety and make riding a comfortable experience. Protected bike lanes are destined for all areas of the City, including Rainier Ave S., Martin Luther King Jr. Way S, Airport Way and E Marginal Way in the south end. 2nd Ave, 4th Ave, 5th Ave, Eastlake, Westlake, Pike and Union in Downtown and Capitol Hill. In the north end, Fremont, Roosevelt, 11th, 35th Ave NE, parts of NE 65th and NE 125th. You can find a complete network map in the Seattle Bike Master Plan project library. Cascade is looking forward to supporting funding and implementation of the plan which will begin to occur in 2014 as the City plans to fully fund design work for the downtown protected bike lanes. Safety is also emphasized through the creation of neighborhood greenways. Building off the work of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, the plan proposes 239 miles of neighborhood greenways, which are streets with low traffic volumes and speed; the routes are designed to give pedestrians and bikes a safe, low stress connection by including traffic calming, intersection improvements and signage. In addition to ridership and safety, the 2013 plan includes goals to improve equity, livability and connectivity. These goals will ensure that 100% of the households in the city are within a quarter mile of a safe, comfortable, all ages and abilities bike facility that connects all across the city. A three to five year implementation and work program that includes annual updates is forthcoming. The city’s next challenge will be fully funding the implementation of the plan and looking at all opportunities to speed the implementation of proposed facilities. In order to realize the plan’s potential, complete, connected networks need to exist that allow all types of riders to get where they need to go on low stress routes. Seattle is one of America’s top cities where people ride bikes, having the fourth highest percentage of bike commuters, trailing only Portland, Minneapolis and Washington DC. Despite relatively high commuting rates, our bike facilities and safety investments have not been keeping up with demand or growing as fast as cities like Chicago (the Bears), San Francisco and Cleveland. The 2013 Bicycle Master Plan, when implemented, will elevate Seattle’s status as one of the nation’s safest and best cities to ride a bike. www.cascade.org