Crash in Georgetown kills bike rider

We are heartbroken for the person killed yesterday by the driver of a semi-truck on S Michigan St, and family and friends.  Sorry for the truck driver, too.
Reports of circumstances and cause are conflicting. The investigation is not complete.  The news reports, blog comments and police blotter are all likely to be incorrect. No matter the cause, we grieve this loss.
In Georgetown and SODO,  people must use the same streets whether they are biking or driving heavy trucks. Most unfortunately, this fatal crash is not the first. This is why we need the Mayor and Council to fund and SDOT to build safe bike routes through Georgetown and SODO with decent paving, and separation of bike riders from heavy trucks on arterials, and traffic calming and street edge definition on minor streets. Drivers of large trucks have huge blind spots. Intersections on arterials with heavy truck traffic need to be designed and marked for safety of cyclists and pedestrians and turning movements of trucks. The Freight Master Plan and Bicycle Master Plan show what to do [FMP appendix C] and how to do it. Now, just do it.
UPDATE:  Some folks in Georgetown invite all to join them in a
Map showing truck crashes at intersections in Seattle from 2009 through 2014, with heavy concentration in Georgetown, SODO and downtown.
Truck crashes are frequent in Georgetown and SODO.
Photo of ghost bike by Henry Hargreaves, Brooklyn NY, c 2011, used with permission.

Safety for West Marginal Way SW

With Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, we support SDOT’s proposal to add a two-way protected bike lane on West Marginal Way SW from West Marginal Place SW to the  crosswalk at the north end of the Duwamish Trail.

This will fill in the missing link in the Duwamish Trail, a regional bike route leading to the Alki Trail, West Seattle Junction, South Park, Georgetown, Green River Trail, SODO, Downtown Seattle, and the Mountains to Sound Trail. The route serves marginalized and underserved communities in the Duwamish Valley. This route is critical for all bike traffic between northern West Seattle and Greater Seattle at times when the Spokane Street Bridge is closed to bike traffic for inspections and repairs.

Map of SDOT options for West Marginal Way SW revisions for Duwamish Trail connection.

Cross section drawing of SDOT option 2 for West Marginal Way SW bike lane for Duwamish Trail connection.

 

 

A significant benefit of the protected bike lane will be to improve traffic safety for all road users by slowing down speeding southbound traffic on West Marginal Way SW.

Crashes are frequent and severe. Median speeds were in the mid-40’s and did not come down after speed limits were lowered to 30.  Now speed radar signs are up, resulting in only about a 5 mph reduction. There is no congestion problem southbound due to lane capacity. There is a speeding and reckless driving problem, causing crashes and making it treacherous to cross on foot. Traffic congestion only occurs at the south end at the Highland Park Way intersection, where the backup from the First Avenue South Bridge begins. Along most of West Marginal Way SW, frantic drivers are rushing to get into the traffic jam as fast as they can. To hurry up and wait. Making more of the north end consistently one lane will allow drivers who travel at or near the speed limit to control the speed of all traffic, without any effect on throughput across the bridges. The bridges are the choke points, not the street.

photo of three people crossing West Marginal Way Southwest on foot at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center

For the short distance between the Duwamish Trail crossing and the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center, we support SDOT’s option to allow parking in the curb lane north of the new signal and crosswalk. This will eliminate the current illegal use of the sidewalk area for parking that blocks pedestrian access.

Map of SDOT option for West Marginal Way SW curb lane revisions from Duwamish Trail crossing to SW Alaska Street.

Photo of car parked on dirt path on west side of West Marginal Way Southwest where there is no street parking and no paved sidewalk.

Port of Seattle and Seattle Freight Advisory Board members are concerned about losing a traffic lane and about truck maneuvering at drives. We support their goals for good, efficient truck routes including on West Marginal Way SW. Our members and our neighbors are employed by these industries, and we all depend on them. We support SFAB’s request to maintain traffic lane width meeting standards for this Major Truck Street. However, we think the concerns about the PBL are not justified. Some industrial users also want lower traffic speeds, to help them get in and out of their driveways safely. Making the southbound direction continuously one lane from the Chelan intersection to the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center will eliminate the Freight Board’s concerns about traffic merging from two lanes to one approaching SW Alaska Street.  If it turns out we are mistaken and SFAB’s fears are realized, the PBL would be easily reversible. If it turns out we are correct, this would help tame a free-for-all speedway into a street that prioritizes freight for industries and the seaport, but also safely accommodates people on bikes and walking as well as people driving personal cars and trucks.

Building a sidewalk where it is missing on the west side will provide a safer, more comfortable walking route from the nearest bus stops on SW Spokane St and on Delridge Way SW to the industrial employers and the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center. However, sidewalks are not a safe substitute for protected bike lanes in the roadway, due to narrow width and poor sightlines at driveways where buildings are built to the property line at the street. Some have suggested cutting all the street trees to widen the sidewalk to the curb. Cutting more than two dozen healthy street trees would be contrary to City policy and would put cyclists just inches away from the most reckless drivers passing traffic on the right at speeds often exceeding 50 mph, making the route less safe.

photo on West Marginal Way at Duwamish Trail crossing with SDOT, Port of Seattle and community group representatives talking.We appreciate the proactive effort from SDOT to improve safety and mobility on West Marginal Way SW. We also appreciate the ongoing community outreach and engagement to make this work responsive to the needs of all people traveling on this important corridor.

Highland Park Home Zone survey

Some great news for pedestrians and cyclists in the Highland Park – Riverview area:
the Highland Park Home Zone plan presented to HPAC this week.
Now open to 2/15 for more input via short survey,
or email WestSeattleBridge@seattle.gov, or call 206-400-7511.
Kudos to Craig Rankin for dedicated leadership of Highland Park Action Committee!  From his notes:
  • It would be good to hear from more people.
  • Many planned improvements between SW Roxbury, SW Myrtle, Delridge Way, and 5th Ave SW.
  • Very exciting news: accelerated greenway development in HP/Riverview.
  • Comments needed on the cycling aspects.
  • Missing: connection to the Duwamish Trail. Another chance to request the multi-use path on HP Way.
  • Missing: pedestrian crossing improvements at 9th SW/SW Kenyon.
Consider commenting on what looks good in the plan, not just what you think should be added or revised, to show community support.

MLK Day – strategies for community healing

Strategies for Community Healing!  We need community healing.

Please consider making this session a part of your day tomorrow, to honor the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and all people working for racial equality and social justice in America, particulary in our area of focus: safe streets.  Register here. 

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”  -MLK, Jr. Strength to Love. 

“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back — but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.”  – Marian Wright Edelman.

This is a pivotal moment for Whose Streets? Our Streets! —  and our safe streets movement.  Key folks you may recognize — Seattle Neighborhood Greenways board member Phyllis Porter, Duwamish Valley Safe Streets leader Peaches Thomas, SNG staff member KL Shannon, and longtime SNG volunteer Yes Segura will  be featured in this panel.
Who’s Streets – Our Streets will be giving a first peek at their community recommendations for how our streets can be safe, thriving places without the use of armed police.
If you haven’t already — please register:

 

2020 – What could go right?

Pandemic. Bridge out. It was bad. We are all trying to cope and are grieving our losses, including lives, contacts with loved ones and friends, income, access to education, and more.

But it wasn’t all bad.  Some good things we’ve been working are happening. All of them due to years of work with other people and groups, building relationships, trust and mutual support. Here are five highlights to give us good cheer. Let’s celebrate the end of a miserable year.

Avalon Way SW Protected bike lanes

and intersection safety improvements are completed! We’ve been fully involved with SDOT, local businesses and other stakeholders to make this  key West Seattle bike and transit route safer for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike and take the bus. Thank you!

Child riding bike uphill on Avalon Way SW in new protected bike lane.
Doug’s young son riding uphill in the new protected bike lane.

East Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project

Protected bike lanes, intersections with bike signals, and off-street path from S Spokane Street to the Portside Trail are funded and designed for construction in 2021 .  This is a big win. We and our allies at Port of Seattle have been working for this since 2012.  It is a catalyst for increasing the number of people riding bikes to downtown and points east and north.

bike riders mixing with car and semi-truck traffic on East Marginal Way South, Seattle

 

Duwamish Longhouse Pedestrian Safety and Accessibility Project

The Duwamish Tribe’s project was fully funded by City Council, and is in design. Coming soon: sidewalks, crosswalk with traffic signal, and an ADA accessible route to the Duwamish Trail, parking, Ha-ah-Poos Park, and the Duwamish River.
We have been working to support the Tribe’s efforts, successfully building a broad coalition of other community groups. We would like to acknowledge that we are on the unceded traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe. Supporting the Tribe’s Ridge to River vision is one way we can go from words into action.
person crossing 5 lanes of traffic with a flagger at Duwamish Longhouse

Reconnect West Seattle

Many of our “Biking to Bridge the Gap ” measures to get more people on bikes for mobility while the West Seattle bridge are in the plan, thanks to a concerted effort with our allies at Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and Cascade Bicycle Club. Some are completed. We even did one ourselves with friends from Highland Park. We’ll need to advocate for more in 2021

We also helped a lot of Essential Bikers find ways to commute to work.
And,  e-bikes sales explode, defusing the clamor for new regrade projects to level West Seattle’s hills. Paul Dieter wrote this helpful guide.
Seattle fire fighter and medic in parkas on e-bikes at Duwamish east waterway.

Delridge Way SW Multi-Modal Corridor Project

Another top priority project is under construction. Fast, frequent bus service on the RapidRide H to downtown Burien and downtown Seattle is a big win for West Seattle transportation where it’s needed most. The project does not include everything we’d like to see, and actually removes some bike lane, but is adding a protected bike lane south bound for the south half; greenway improvements on 26th SW, SW Andover and SW Croft, a bike-triggered signal at SW Juneau, and safety improvements at SW Andover to the bridge trail under a Neighborhood Street Fund grant that Kathy Dunn proposed.

girl on bike with bike blender to make smoothies at Delridge Day
WSBC bike blender smoothies at Delridge Day

 

 

 

 

Cycle History 2020

Cycle History 2020 is here. Put some variety into your West Seattle outings on wheels, and learn a little local history, too. 

Fourth annual history ride with Southwest Seattle Historical Society and West Seattle Bike Connections!
We can’t do a group ride this year, so we have three self-guided routes to try any time you want to, along with an audio guide and historical photos from SWSHS. 

Reconnect West Seattle – 10% by bike

 

 

We are happy to see that the City recognizes the role biking can play to mitigate impacts of the West Seattle high-rise bridge closure by creating an aggressive but realistic bike mode share goal. To get acheive the goal of 10% of trips across the bridge at peak hour by bike,  it will be necessary to make biking routes safe, comfortable and efficient.

But…

SDOT’s proposed funding and scope of projects to improve biking is insufficient. It will take fully funding the spot improvements list we provided in April.  While we appreciate the inclusion of many of our suggestions in the Reconnect Seattle Survey, we are disappointed to see that the City intends to implement only a handful of spot improvement projects, spending less than $1M [up to 10 projects at less than $100,000 each.] This is woefully inadequate to attract the numbers of new bikers and sustain their comittment to cycling for the years of the bridge project.

And…

Paint and post improvements need to be complemented with programmatic support. The City must act to support people from a range of backgrounds so that people of all ages, abilities, languages, ethnicities, genders and races can equally rely on biking as a safe, affordable and sustainable way of getting around during the bridge closure.

See our latest proposals to the City, 200812 reconnect WS – bike mode shift , made in collaboration with Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, Cascade Bicycle Club, and endorsed by 350 Seattle, Transit Riders Union, The Urbanist, Feet First and Lime.

photo of woman riding bike on trail approaching Spokane Street Bridge. Semi truck and high bridge in backrou

 

Big Dig on Highland Park Way

While waiting for SDOT to get back to us on our April 28 (!) action requests for biking to the bridges, we did some of it ourselves, with folks from Highland Park Action Committee and the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails Group.

Essential bikers

Today at the east approach to the Spokane St Bridge, we met Seattle fire fighter Aaron and paramedic Kelly on bikes, returning home to West Seattle after their shifts. They carry all the gear they need on their e-assist cargo bikes. More than 100 Seattle fire fighters live in West Seattle. Many are turning to biking for the most reliable way to get to their stations. Likewise, over the past couple of weeks, West Seattle Bike Connections has given medical personnel custom bike routes to get from home to UW Medical Center, Pac Med, the VA Hospital and Swedish Cherry Hill medical center. Bike sales are through the roof at local shops.

As part of contingency planning and mitigation, we need the City to implement key bike safety improvements now for safe, efficient routes to the Spokane St Bridge, 1st Ave S Bridge and South Park Bridge.

Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, West Seattle Bike Connections, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and Cascade Bicycle Club sent a memo to SDOT proposing strategies and actions. Sam Zimbabwe has promised a response.

Biking to Bridge the Gap

Emily asked us how to ride her bike safely from West Seattle to work at the VA Hospital. Erin asked how to ride to UW Medical Center.  Travis is willing to commute on his new e-bike all the way to Green Lake. We are fielding many inquiries. Bike sales are taking off.  With alternate route traffic delays looming, Georgetown and South Park residents are fearful of gridlock, air pollution, and for the safety of their children walking to school. We know that using bikes instead of cars will help free up capacity on the remaining bridges. But we need a few improvements make it safe and efficient for these folks and many more people to bike instead of drive.

West Seattle Bike Connections with Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and Cascade Bicycle Club sent a detailed proposal to the City yesterday, summarized here.

OUR GOAL

Mobility for West Seattle, SODO and the Duwamish Valley.

Keep people and goods moving safely across much lower-capacity bridges over the Duwamish while the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge is closed. Mitigate impacts on our communities. Honor Seattle’s commitments to equitable transportation, our environment, social justice, and economic vitality.

STRATEGIES

Encourage or incentivize as many people as possible to use bikes or transit, or both, instead of driving private vehicles. Accomplish this before the end of COVID-19 restrictions.

    1. Improve conditions to make it safe, efficient and comfortable for people to ride bikes and transit.
    2. Concentrate on safety and wayfinding for biking and bike/transit connections:
      • On key West Seattle bike routes to the Spokane Street bridge, and from the bridge on East Marginal Way S to Pioneer Square, Downtown, SODO Trail, and SODO light rail station.
      • On bike routes to the 1st Ave S bridge and South Park Bridge, and bike routes within South Park and Georgetown that are impacted by alternate route traffic and may also be needed for biking from West Seattle whenever the Spokane Street Bridge is closed.
      • On routes to and bike parking at the King County Water Taxi dock at Seacrest.
    1. Protect Neighborhood Greenway streets near alternate routes from cut-through traffic, to keep them safe for residents and for walking and biking by people of all ages and abilities.
    2. Ensure availability of bikeshare bikes. Provide bikeshare discounts and bike/e-bike financing to people with low incomes.
    3. Use up to 1% of the bridge repair cost for mitigation measures for bike and pedestrian safety and efficiency.
    4. Use advocacy groups like West Seattle Bike Connections, Duwamish Valley Safe Streets, Cascade Bicycle Club and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways to:
      • Identify opportunities to improve safety and wayfinding.
      • Provide route advice, route maps, bike buddy matching, bike trains and educational rides.
      • Connect people to good advice and local bike shops for selecting and maintaining bikes, including e-bikes.
    • Screenshot 2019-01-05 21.58.42

RECOMMENDED WORK FOR STREET SAFETY

PRESERVE these already planned and funded projects on schedule: 
EXPEDITE these key Bicycle Master Plan high priority routes:
    • Sylvan Way SW / SW Orchard and east to Highland Park
    • Highland Park Way SW off street multi-use path
    • 1st Ave S Bridge to 1st Ave S safe route north from bridge
    • SW Roxbury  bike lanes without reducing traffic lanes
QUICKLY IMPLEMENT spot improvements for wayfinding and safe routes:
    • On Spokane Street Bridge routes at the Chelan 5-way intersection; on Fauntleroy Way and Admiral Way; on the “Nucor Trail” connection from Delridge to the Alki Trail; at Terminal 18 trail crossings on Harbor Island; on East Marginal Way; and on the connections to the SODO light rail station and SODO Trail.
    • On 1st Avenue South Bridge and South Park Bridge routes at the Duwamish Trail “missing link from the Alki Trail; on Highland Park Way at West Marginal Way; at rough rail crossings on the Duwamish Trail and in Georgetown; and on routes in Georgetown through SODO.