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Seattle Bike Blog

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Updated 2024-05-20 15:15
WA bill would ban right turns on red near schools, parks and other highly-walked areas
Turns on red would be banned within 1,000 feet of certain places, such as schools, parks, hospitals, senior centers and other public facilities if Senate Bill 5514 passes during the 2023 State Legislative session. The bill—sponsored by Senators John Lovick, … Continue reading →
Councilmember Sawant expanded what is possible in Seattle
Kshama Sawant, the City of Seattle’s most tenured elected official, will not run for reelection after a decade in office. Seattle Bike Blog has endorsed Sawant consistently since she pulled a remarkable upset to unseat Richard Conlin during the 2013 … Continue reading →
State Routes lead Washington’s horrible increase in deaths of people walking, biking or rolling
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission has put together a new dashboard breaking down the conditions surrounding traffic deaths of people walking, biking or rolling. The data covers ten years from 2012 through 2021 (2022 data is not yet finalized), and … Continue reading →
King County’s interim Green to Cedar Rivers Trail will include rail bridge between Maple Valley and Black Diamond + Survey
King County Parks is working through design for building and improving an interim trail connecting the Black Diamond Open Space to SE Kent-Kangley Road in Maple Valley, and they are seeking feedback via a short online survey. Responses are due … Continue reading →
I have angered the bike gods
Yesterday, a flat tire deflated our plans. Then this morning, the chain broke on the way to preschool drop-off. I have clearly angered the bike gods, and must repent. Oh, great Velocideity, your judgment is fair and righteous! Forgive me … Continue reading →
2023 MLK Jr Day Rally and March details
The Seattle Martin Luther King Jr. Organizing Coalition will host its 40th annual Martin Luther King, Jr., event today. The rally starts at 11 a.m. in the Garfield High School Gym, and the march begins at 12:30 p.m. in front … Continue reading →
SDOT is reopening the Spokane Street Bridge, will remove 1st Ave bike lanes Saturday
After three weeks stuck in its waterway-priority position, the Spokane Street Swing Bridge to West Seattle will be usable again this afternoon. SDOT noted in an announcement that it should be fully open by 2 p.m. today (Friday). This is … Continue reading →
SDOT’s new gravel pits under the Ballard Bridge baffle riders, more changes coming ‘in 2023’
SDOT completed work on an “interim” redesign of the problematic track crossing under the Ballard Bridge for people attempting to bike the Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail, but the new gravel pits sporadically placed in the area seems to … Continue reading →
SPU plans temporary bikeway during Stone Way overflow pipe construction starting late January
Seattle’s least-discussed megaproject is coming to Stone Way in Fremont/Wallingford, but crews have plans to maintain space for biking and walking. Seattle Public Utilities’ Ship Canal Water Quality Project is estimated to total $570 million, a cost that could still … Continue reading →
Watch: Biking around and feeling hopeful for 2023
Ride with me as I ramble about some reasons why I think 2023 will be a good year. And please let me know if you like this format for future videos.
Neighbors create detailed plan for how the 15th Ave NW paving project can ‘Reconnect Ballard’
SDOT’s most recent plans for the department’s 15th Ave NW repaving project, which includes the Ballard Bridge, would make very few if any tangible safety improvements for people biking. But neighbors are organizing in an effort to get some key … Continue reading →
Trail will remain open during weekend 520 Bridge construction
The trail on the 520 Bridge will remain open this weekend even as all lanes are closed to motor vehicle traffic. That motor vehicle closure is scheduled to extend from 11 p.m. Friday (today) until 5 a.m. Monday. If you’ve … Continue reading →
SDOT’s emergency bike lanes are glorious
I’m pecking this post out on my phone from beneath the West Seattle Bridge after biking SDOT’s temporary, emergency bike lanes on 1st Ave S and on W Marginal Way, and I’m just beaming. It’s so good. Everyone involved should … Continue reading →
20 year old charged with vehicular homicide and hit and run for killing Robb Mason
Mohamed A Yusuf, a 20 year old living in West Seattle, faces counts of vehicular homicide and felony hit and run after allegedly striking and killing Robb Mason with his Hyundai Elantra while Mason was biking in a crosswalk just … Continue reading →
Transportation Chair Pedersen will not run for reelection + What this means for the next levy and for the rest of 2023
Councilmember Alex Pedersen will not run for reelection to represent Seattle’s District 4, he announced this week. He joins Lisa Herbold in District 1 and Debra Juarez in District 5, who have also stated publicly that they will not run … Continue reading →
SDOT will begin installing ‘temporary protected bike lanes’ in SoDo this week
SDOT will create temporary bike lanes to fill a gap in the Duwamish Trail and to improve safety on a significant stretch of 1st Avenue S in SoDo while crews work to repair the Spokane Street Bridge to West Seattle. … Continue reading →
Seattle Neighborhood Greenways reviews 2022 safe streets progress
Seattle Neighborhood Greenways recapped 2022 recently, and I think it’s a good reminder of the progress made while also setting the stage for the work needed ahead. It is difficult to celebrate wins when you’re talking about a transportation system … Continue reading →
The case for an emergency SoDo bike path in response to the Spokane Street Bridge closure
The Spokane Street Bridge Connecting West Seattle to the mainland closed during the holiday ice storm and has been out of operation ever since. Repairs will take a minimum of two weeks, SDOT said earlier this week, pegging the earliest … Continue reading →
Alert: The Spokane Street Bridge will be closed ‘at least two weeks’
SDOT posted an update Tuesday evening with terrible news for people who walk or bike between mainland Seattle and West Seattle: The Spokane Street Bridge, the lower swing bridge with the biking and walking path, will be out of commission … Continue reading →
Alert: Spokane Street Bridge closed ‘all weekend’
The Spokane Street Bridge to West Seattle didn’t make it through the ice storm, and it will likely remain closed for the rest of the weekend. SDOT Director Greg Spotts said on Twitter that the mechanical problem on the swing … Continue reading →
It’s an ice rink out there
I spent the morning ice skating all around Wallingford and pushing cars that got stuck on the ice. I put a shoulder into a jackknifed pickup truck and body checked it halfway across the street and into perfect parallel parking … Continue reading →
Yet another Eastlake Ave survey confirms: Build safe bike lanes!
SDOT released the results of autumn community outreach about Eastlake Avenue bike lane design options, and the results were once again very clear: People strongly favor safe bike lanes on this vital connection between the University Bridge and South Lake … Continue reading →
How bikeable are the roads and paths near you? – UPDATED
PM UPDATE: It sounds like a lot untreated surfaces have turned to smooth ice after sundown. Take care. I biked to play hockey last night, and the roads between the U District and Kraken Community Iceplex in Northgate were in … Continue reading →
How to check which Seattle streets have been plowed
If you’re heading out on a bike in the snow, you’ll quickly figure out that a lot of the slower streets and bike paths you typically ride have not been plowed. So unless you have a fully winterized bike with … Continue reading →
SDOT will upgrade part of the 8th Ave bike lane downtown
SDOT will upgrade the 8th Ave bike lane between Pike Street to Westlake Avenue to replace the paint and plastic posts with concrete barriers. Work will start in early January and continue for up to 3 months. The project was … Continue reading →
Here’s why the new signal at 83rd and Greenwood still isn’t fully operational
The crosswalk signal at 83rd and Greenwood made some headlines a few months ago in large part because it was constructed in the same place as a community-made crosswalk that was painted in September 2021. The crossing is part of … Continue reading →
Amber Weilert: ‘Nothing can change this reality, but we can change the future’
Amber Weilert’s 13-year-old son Mikey was killed in July while biking in a crosswalk on Pacific Avenue S in Parkland. Since then, she’s been sharing her devastating story in an effort to make changes. She spoke during an event for … Continue reading →
SDOT will try again to make rail crossing under the Ballard Bridge safer
SDOT is set to start work as soon as Monday on another fix to hopefully prevent people from crashing while biking across the train tracks under the Ballard Bridge as they navigate the notorious Burke-Gilman Trail Missing Link. Crews will … Continue reading →
You can now preorder my book ‘Biking Uphill in the Rain: The Story of Seattle from behind the Handlebars’
Biking Uphill in the Rain: The Story of Seattle from behind the Handlebars is officially available for preorder for $29.95 from the UW Press website. I have been working on this book since 2019, and I cannot wait for you … Continue reading →
Governor Inslee’s proposed budget includes millions for safety efforts
Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed 2023–25 budget responds to rising traffic deaths across the state by accelerating safety projects, creating a $5 million fund for responding to “emergent safety needs,” and $3 million specifically for SR-7 in Pierce County. “Like other … Continue reading →
Kirkland approves $20 car tab for walking, biking and Safe Routes to School improvements
The Kirkland City Council voted 6–1 Tuesday to levy a $20 vehicle license fee to raise $1.3 million per year for walking, biking and Safe Routes to School projects. Collection will begin January 2024. The vast majority of the projects … Continue reading →
Seattle supports state action on e-bike incentives, income-based traffic tickets, decriminalizing jaywalking + more
Seattle City Council is set to consider an ambitious lobbying plan for the 2023 state legislative session, including support for e-bike incentives, income-based traffic tickets, decriminalization of jaywalking, freeway removal in marginalized communities and much more. Every year, the City … Continue reading →
Watch: Biking Seattle to Spokane
Mike Mike Motorbike (Michael Valeri) released this wonderful video last week documenting a bike trip he and his friend Nick took from Seattle to Spokane over the summer. Our state is really something. They stuck mostly to the Palouse to … Continue reading →
Mayor Harrell order calls for ‘low-pollution neighborhoods,’ sets up pieces for a future transportation levy
Mayor Bruce Harrell signed an executive order this week with a list of climate actions and plans, including an expansion of Healthy Streets, Safe Routes to School, bicycle freight and green neighborhood efforts. “We put together 23 bold actions that … Continue reading →
Archive Gem: In 1970, Rainier Beach students created a protest group called Stop Traffic’s Obnoxious Pollution
Sometimes when you’re digging through the city archives, you stumble on some true gems. This letter I found deep in a box in the Seattle Municipal Archives is one of them. In 1970, some students from the Rainier Beach Cottage … Continue reading →
More notes on two-way vs one-way bike lanes on Beacon Hill
The biggest decision point presented in SDOT’s Beacon Hill bike lane survey (open through January 6) is whether the city should build one-way bike lanes on either side of 15th Ave S or one two-way bike lane on the east … Continue reading →
Transit GO app now includes scooter and bike share rewards + Use new micromobility parking areas to get ride discounts
Transit GO is an interesting and mostly functional mobile app that allows riders to pay for transit tickets on their phones while also gamifying the transit riding experience. And now scooter and bike share services are now part of the … Continue reading →
Thorness: 5 Seattle holiday light bike routes
I like holiday lights as much as the next person. In fact, I like them so much that I never took the lights off my house after last winter! But sitting in idle traffic in the middle of a neighborhood … Continue reading →
Packer: The public won’t build a new surface parking lot near Pike Place Market after all
Ryan Packer has some wonderful news: Seattle City Light will not build its planned surface parking lot at Western Ave and Blanchard Street after all. Word of the proposed parking lot, located within the Western Ave business strip that extends … Continue reading →
This bike lane detour is so simple, so why isn’t it the standard in Seattle?
While taking the kid to preschool this morning, we passed this crew working on a utility of some kind underneath the 2nd Ave bike lane at Pine St. The crew had lined up cones directing riders into a temporary bike … Continue reading →
Listen: Packer and Freemark discuss rising traffic deaths in the US
While other nations are reducing their traffic deaths and serious injuries, the US is heading in the wrong direction. KUOW’s Soundside asked Seattle’s Ryan Packer and DC’s Yonah Freemark why the US is exceptional. Listen to the 20-minute story. An … Continue reading →
Sunday Theater: Danny MacAskill rides around San Francisco (Open Thread)
Every new Danny MacAskill video is a burst of joy and wonder. He and his film team have been creating love letters to Scottish industrial ruins and natural beauty for years, so it was really fun to see them visit … Continue reading →
Sound Transit seeks feedback on South Tacoma Station biking and walking access improvements
You have until December 5 to complete Sound Transit’s online survey about potential walking and biking improvements near South Tacoma Station. More details from Sound Transit: In 2021, we assessed current conditions for walking, rolling, bicycling, and taking transit to … Continue reading →
Cascade announces 2023 events, including long-awaited returns of RSVP and the Emerald City Ride
Cascade Bicycle Club this week released its first full-strength events schedule since 2019. The 2023 season will see the return of two major rides that have been sadly missing in recent years: The Emerald City Ride and the Ride Seattle … Continue reading →
I’m glad this Green Lake pool mural is no longer illegal
I thought I had seen all Seattle’s bike-themed public art, but I had never been inside the Evan’s Pool in Green Lake Park before this week. While my kid took a swim lesson, I found myself looking at this large … Continue reading →
Bloomberg: Olive Way crosswalk showed ‘how needlessly difficult it is to build safer streets’
There you go SDOT, something more in line with your policy pic.twitter.com/PBZibVAofZ — Hamza (@hummusqueso) November 20, 2022 The crosswalk at Harvard and Olive Way is gone, but it left an impression on more than just the roadway itself. The … Continue reading →
It’s officially the season for hauling Xmas trees by bike
My wonderful spouse Kelli hauled both a tree and a kid home. I definitely want to see your Seattle tree-by-bike photos. Tag them #SEAbikes if you post photos on social media. Or email them to me and I’ll add them … Continue reading →
Take this new Beacon Hill bike lane survey + Upcoming pop-up feedback sessions
SDOT has released a new online survey to gather feedback on the proposed Beacon Hill bike lane options. So take a few minutes to complete it now (check the project page for non-English versions). The department is also hosting a … Continue reading →
Cycle Dogs needs support after troubled move to brick and mortar shop
When I think of Cycle Dogs, I think of sitting in the backyard of Peddler Brewing eating a creative and delicious vegan dog. What started as a hot dog cart in a bike trailer (we wrote about the initial Cycle … Continue reading →
Bike League: Inside Seattle’s community movement for slower streets
The League of American Bicyclists interviewed two wonderful friends of the blog for a story about how safe streets advocates won slower speed limits in Seattle. Brie Gyncild, who you may remember from this Pike Street bike lanes video, and … Continue reading →
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