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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6F59X)
We've published guides to biking in the rain in the past, and the advice in those posts still holds true (especially this one with lots of advice from readers). Finding proper rain gear that works for you is vital, but it's about so much more than defense from the elements. For people who want to [...]
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Seattle Bike Blog
| Link | https://www.seattlebikeblog.com/ |
| Feed | http://seattlebikeblog.com/feed/ |
| Updated | 2024-04-25 00:45 |
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6F34S)
Seattle's least reliable bridge will be unusable for a week from October 7 through 14, creating a major headache for people who walk or bike between West Seattle and mainland Seattle. The bridge will need to remain in the open-to-sea configuration while crews replace the faulty turn cylinder that was removed during the previous unexpected [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6F27P)
Rainier Valley Greenways-Safe Streets and SDOT are hosting a community celebration of the long-awaited pathway connecting the I-90 Trail in Sam Smith Park to the start of the Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway at 28th Ave S. There will be a community walk at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday (September 26) starting at College Street Park followed by [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6F014)
When Seattle invests in a major road repair project, the city does not always repair the adjacent sidewalks or build new sidewalks if they are missing. Councilmember Tammy Morales has proposed an ordinance that would fix this glaring omission, requiring that the construction project shall include an evaluation of existing sidewalk conditions and correct any [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EY5C)
Rather than going project-by-project to build one-off bike projects, Bellevue is currently planning a more comprehensive and less incremental approach. The Eastside city is currently seeking feedback on what they are calling Bike Bellevue," a network of 11 projects that will build on existing work to create a connected network of bike routes in and [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EVZQ)
Starting today, Puget Sound Energy crews will be working along the Interurban Trail between 37th Street NW in Auburn and the Boeing Auburn facility near 5th Ave N in Algona. The trail should generally be open, but crews will close it as needed while installing utility poles. Flaggers will instruct trail users on what to [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6ERVQ)
OK Broomer is starting to look like a boomer compared to the all-electric eSwingo 200+ bike lane sweeper SDOT is currently renting. The new style of sweeper is part of the city's goal of electrifying as many city vehicles and machines as it can. Tenting before buying is wise because while the sweeper is rated [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EPZF)
Despite a scary incident moving the spans from the barge to the terminal, early in the project, crews reopened access to the vehicle deck on the Bainbridge Ferry Tuesday evening, hours earlier than originally planned. So people can now bike onto the ferry again after nearly a week operating as walk-on only. Crews closed all [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6ENNN)
Seattle's Department of Transportation created a new way to bike through the notoriously dangerous track-crossing section of the Ballard Missing Link: A ramp. Though now that I look a little closer, I'm beginning to wonder if this really is an official piece of transportation infrastructure. Something about the font doesn't seem quite right. But is [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EK6Q)
You've been asking-no, begging-the city for more surveys about road safety projects. Luckily, the city has heard you. Today (9/8) is the final day to fill out this short survey about the Leary/Market concept for connecting the Burke-Gilman Trail through Ballard. In classic Seattle survey fashion, it asks a handful of questions the public really [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EH30)
After a failed attempt at convening a task force to discuss ways to make Lake Washington Boulevard safe for people walking and biking, Seattle Parks is now preparing to make some small adjustments to the street that fall far short of what is needed and what the vast majority of people have said they want [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EFNR)
The Port of Seattle plans to remove a couple problem spots for trail users traveling through the Terminal 91 rail yard in Interbay, work the Port Commissioners could approve during their September 12 meeting. The highlight improvement is removal of a rusting and skinny fenced-in bridge with a couple sharp turns and fairly steep approaches [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6ECSY)
I had the privilege of sitting down with KUOW's Libby Denkmann this week to talk about some of Seattle bicycle history I wrote about in the first part of Biking Uphill in the Rain. The Soundside episode is 30 minutes, so grab a cup of something and give it a listen on their website or [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6EBQ7)
The Eastlake Community Council last week voted 5-4 to kick those four members off the Board after they voiced support for a fully designed and funded bike lane and transit project ready to begin construction on Eastlake Avenue. The act has sparked outrage and called into question the legitimacy of the organization, which has existed [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6E9HD)
It's finally out. Preorders should arrive in the mail any day now, and you will start to see it in bookshops around town. Or you can order it online from UW Press. Last night was surreal. Thank you to everyone who packed the reading room at Elliott Bay Book Company. It was a huge relief [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6E505)
Ahhh! News on the blog might be a bit slow the next couple days because I am working on a presentation for the book release party at Elliott Bay Book Company 7 p.m. Monday (August 28). So whether you preordered a copy or are planning to buy one at the event, you should come to [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6E3ZP)
A group of philanthropists will fully fund a $45 million set of upgrades to the downtown waterfront north of Pier 62, where the existing under-construction Waterfront Park project ends. The Elliott Bay Connections project includes cove and park improvements in Centennial and Myrtle Edwards Parks as well as a new walking and biking trail along [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6E1V9)
(EDIT: I changed the headline because some readers thought the change was permanent. Bikes, along with all vehicles using the car deck, will only be disallowed during this construction period.) Construction work to build a new elevated walkway at the Bainbridge Ferry Terminal will completely close off access to the ferry car decks. The good [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DZBR)
The short but important trail connection between the Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway and the I-90 Trail is open, and Hanoch at Best Side Cycling took it for a test ride. As we noted in July, this short little trail at the end of 28th Ave S has been a long time coming. It never should [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DX89)
It's time for the Bike News Roundup! Here's a look at some of the stuff going around the web that caught my eye. First up, Answer in Progress took on public transit, and it's pretty good: Pacific Northwest News Bike Bellevue" Program Launches to Improve Mobility Options | Downtown Bellevue Network Bend lawmaker considers e-bike [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DWBD)
Folks, support your local bike shops. These are rough times for a lot of them, and competition from online direct-to-customer companies is not slowing down. Sure, you might be able to save some bucks buying online, but that website won't be there to help you fix it on your way to work or wherever. Supporting [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DVBC)
Scooter share company Bird has quietly launched new shared e-bikes in Seattle in addition to their fleet of scooters, so of course I had to hunt one down and take it for a ride. The company's pedal-assist e-bikes are the first direct competitor to Lime since Lime took over JUMP in 2020. Veo also has [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DR0T)
I unfortunately missed this story before the 60-day comment period ended in late July, but as a parent of a brand new bike rider I gotta post my thoughts anyway. There is an old Consumer Product and Safety Commission regulation that requires kids bikes to be sold with a coaster brake, and it is frankly [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DNSZ)
Despite reaching a settlement with a group of eight people who sued the City of Seattle in 2022 after they crashed and were injured while biking through the Ballard Missing Link, the city still has not made the treacherous railroad crossing under the Ballard Bridge reasonably safe for ordinary travel," according to a new set [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DMPN)
Nearly eight years after the Ride the Ducks tragedy on the Aurora Bridge, YouTube channel Brick Immortar recently released a detailed walkthrough of the event, including the history of the vehicles and details from the NTSB investigation's report. It is tough to revisit the tragedy, but it's important that we understand as a society how [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DJJ0)
Most of the University Bridge is in decent condition, but the northernmost section between NE 40th and NE Pacific Streets needs major rehab or replacement, according to SDOT. The 1930s concrete structure is at the end of its life, and that may be for the best because it no longer fits into the U District [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DGFB)
I finally got the chance to hold an advance copy of my book Biking Uphill in the Rain: The Story of Seattle from behind the Handlebars, and it was a bit surreal. As soon as I got word that advance copies had arrived, I walked over to the press office inside UW Tower to get [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DF8H)
The Ballard Ave Cafe Street project has been an iterative series of changes since 2020 designed to expand outdoor space for businesses, including lots of outdoor seating for restaurants and bars. To make it happen, SDOT made the street one-way for cars and limited parking. Now the city is preparing the next phase of changes, [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DE7M)
Well, I hope you enjoyed that new section of the I-90 Trail in Factoria, because a section of it will be detoured to the other side of SE 36th Street until Spring 2024. As part of work on the really cool I-90 Sunset Creek Fish Passage project, crews will be detouring the I-90 Trail between [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DC95)
After a delay finalizing the construction contract, SDOT is planning to begin work on the MLK Jr Way Safety Project in the fall. The project includes protected bike lanes from Mount Baker Station to S Judkins Street and includes significant safety improvements for everyone passing through the monstrous intersection with Rainier Ave S. The project [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6DADX)
SDOT just added some significant safety improvements to the 15th Ave NW paving project before declaring the design 100% complete and ready for construction. No, the changes to not fix the horrible sidewalks across the Ballard Bridge, which is easily the biggest problem with this stretch of the street. However, SDOT will add a median [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6D97K)
I'm traveling home today after a week in St. Louis and Las Vegas visiting family, but I wanted to put out this notice since it is a top priority bike network improvement. The Eastlake Community Council is hosting a meeting at 6 p.m. tonight (July 25) at the Agora Conference Center (1551 Eastlake Ave E) [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6D51K)
Josh Brower, attorney for the appellant group fighting the Ballard Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail in court, put out a lengthy press release claiming victory (see full statement below). Cascade responded, likening the statement to a baseball team quitting before the 9th inning." My main squabble with the Cascade statement is that we are [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6D1RX)
Your ballot for the August 1 primary election should have arrived in the mail, or should arrive very soon. Eligible voters have until July 24 to register or update your address online. After that date, voters will need to register in person at a voting center. Every Seattle City Council district seat is up for [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CZVQ)
Why do people ride Cascade Bicycle Club's annual Seattle to Portland? There are going to be quite a few people asking themselves this exact question this weekend at some point during their 200-mile ride. But every year, there are people riding for a specific cause, using the feat as a way to draw attention to [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CYSR)
The Rainier Valley Neighborhood Greenway opened in 2017 with a key piece missing: A connection the final block or so to the I-90 Trail in Sam Smith Park. One of the coolest ideas in the plan is the new connection to the I-90 Trail," I wrote in a September 2015 post about the greenway plan. [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CWVR)
People For Bikes, the national advocacy organization, has put out an action alert urging people to support a rule change that would give superintendents of National Parks greater authority to allow the use of e-bikes wherever traditional bicycles are currently allowed." Many National Parks are typically already rather restrictive about bicycle access, so this rule [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CVWW)
My family and I biked the new North Lake Washington Trail Loop Saturday, and it was amazing. It is an instant classic of a bike ride with wide appeal. I suspect it will supplant the always popular Seattle-to-Woodinville-and-back ride since riders can now complete the loop rather than backtrack on the Sammamish River and Burke-Gilman [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CSV6)
The Decade of the Eastrail is coming into view. The buildout of this major regional rail-trail will reach a milestone moment Saturday afternoon when the Totem Lake Connector biking and walking bridge opens. The bridge is almost like the golden spike that, thanks to a number of other recent additions, will finally connect the Eastrail [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CS05)
Biking will be by far the best way to get to the 2023 All-Star Game. Though of course we think that biking is the best way to get just about anywhere in Seattle. But for real, I have left many busy Seattle sporting events, and no other option is even close to as good as [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CRXN)
This is not the first time we've posted a Bill Nye video on this site, and I doubt it will be the last. The prolific entertainer and engineer best known for serving on the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board also had a little-known KCTS science show for children that was widely syndicated and made him a [...]
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by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CQV6)
The city plans to build a continuous bike lane on the waterfront side of Alaskan Way under the latest design, SDOT announced Monday. Rather than permanently detour the bike route across Alaskan Way twice within a couple blocks, the new design includes a detour plan for use only during busy cruise ship loading times in [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CPC4)
Bike-friendly city rankings are a bit silly, but there's usually some interesting things we can learn from them. There are so many variables that make places different and might impact a person's experience riding a bike in them that distilling an entire city's bikeability down to a number is impossible. For example, I'm guessing someone [...]
SDOT begins study of CM Strauss’s Leary Way concept for the Missing Link + Legal update on Shilshole
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CP7M)
At the urging of Councilmember Dan Strauss and with Mayor Bruce Harrell's support, SDOT is beginning early design work on a potential alternative for the Burke-Gilman Trail Missing Link in Ballard. Though the city has a design fully completed and ready for construction along Shilshole Ave NW, the construction permits are held up in court [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CP7N)
Julian Hamilton, 25, pleaded guilty to hitting and killing Michael Colmant in April 2021 and was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Hamilton was driving under the influence after drinking in the park when he crossed to the wrong side of Seward Park Ave S just east of the intersection with Wilson Ave S and [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CJPE)
Newly-announced Federal RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity") grants will help fund several interesting walking and biking projects around the region, including planning work for an ambitious trail from the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal to La Push on the Pacific Coast. The City of Port Angeles led a successful grant application for the [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CJPF)
The good news is that the horrific increase in pedestrian deaths Washington State saw in 2021 did not continue to increase in 2022. But that's the end of the good news in this story. Preliminary counts in a recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association show that an estimated 130 pedestrians were killed in [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CDYV)
The Nine to Five is a classic, legendary Seattle event that has been making its return in recent years. It is a wonderful counterpoint to the Fremont Solstice Parade bike ride. Rather than celebrate the long day of sun, the Nine to Five celebrates the short night. Riders will hit the streets from sunset to [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CC72)
We are currently in the midst of the biggest social media shakeup in more than a decade, which got me wondering where exactly my readers were spending their scrolling time these days. I also realized that as Twitter interactivity rates declined and I grew increasingly concerned about that platform's overall direction, I needed to diversify [...]
by Tom Fucoloro on (#6CARH)
People in Seattle took 3.7 million trips on shared bikes and scooters in the past year, a massive rebound from the 1.4 million trips per year when pandemic restrictions and many business closures were in place. During the busiest summer months, the daily rides averaged over 15,000 trips per day. Six years into the city's [...]