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.

Intro Guide to Ebikes

Seattle has been an early adopter city for ebikes in the U.S. and they can be found all over the city every day of the year. The transportation calamity of the closure of the West Seattle Bridge has set the stage for West Seattle to be the epicenter of this adoption going forward. It is going to be easier and faster to get almost anywhere in the city from West Seattle, by bike for years to come. Even with the contingency of closing the Spokane bridge to all traffic. Riding an ebike will be preferable to idling in the gridlocked traffic we can anticipate on the arterials leading to the 1st Ave bridge. 

The upside is that for many people in the past few years, commuting into work on an ebike has already become the best part of their day. The pedal assist technology has enabled people to switch their primary transportation to a bicycle. People typically list several obstacles to using a bicycle as transportation to work. An ebike is not a solution to every issue but it is a solution to a quite a few and probably the most common; hills and sweat. Hills really don’t matter on an ebike. Sure you still have to pedal up hills but if you purchase the right bike they will no longer be an obstacle. You will not arrive at your destination with any extra sweat and in need of a clothing change or shower. You will even find that taking out all that exertion means breathable fabrics can easily achieve their purpose and riding in the rain becomes a minor inconvenience.  As people in West Seattle are now confronted with a dire need to find a new way to get to work West Seattle Bike Connections will offer assistance to those interested in exploring bicycles as primary transportation.

In 2016 I started commuting by ebike and have been riding to work in Little Saigon everyday since. The following is a combination of what I have learned and what I struggled with when I first looked for my ebike. I always start with two recommendations; ride as many different bikes as possible to gain an understanding of the different user interfaces and spend more than you think you want to because once you own it, its perceived value will rise dramatically. 

What Does it Mean?

  • Purpose Built and Conversion – A purpose built bike is one that comes from the factory constructed specifically as an ebike. A conversion bike is a traditional (acoustic) bike with the motor, battery and controls added on after the fact. There is no reason not to explore either option, they both have their qualities. Of course one possibility is that you already own a nice bike that you would like to explore converting. In West Seattle we have a shop experienced in conversions; Alki Bike and Board. They will probably be able to determine if your bike is suitable with just a phone call.
  • Hub and Mid Drive motors. Hub motors are motors that are constructed into the central hub of one of the wheels. Front hubs exist most commonly as a conversion kit and rear hub motors are extremely common on purpose built bikes. They are simple motors, relatively easy to maintain and even replace. They generally cost less than the mid drives. Mid drive motors reside at the shaft between the pedals. They are often more complex and cost a bit more. It is difficult to explain in words (back to my 1st recommendation) but because they sit in front of the drive train (pedals, chain and gears) they are much more interactive with the bike and rider. They also offer up more options for different user interfaces than a hub motor. On a mid drive bike if you break a chain or some other critical part in the drivetrain you are stuck, with a hub motor and a throttle you can still ride your bike home or to a shop. Fixing a flat on a hub drive wheel can be a cumbersome process.  Fixing a flat on a mid drive bike is just like a flat on an acoustic bike.
  • Torque, Cadence and Hybrid Sensing. The UI’s previously mentioned fall into these 3 categories. You really have to ride the different bikes to understand how this varies the experience. Cadence sensing is perhaps the most simple. There are sensors located around the front chain ring that pick up movement of the drivetrain and engage the motor. Move the pedals, the motor engages, stop pedaling the motor stops. Torque sensing motors actually respond to the force the rider puts into the pedals and factors that into the engagement of the motor and “feels” most natural. In both these systems there are different levels of power assist that the rider controls and another sensor on the spokes that registers speed. The onboard computer utilizes all this information to determine how much power the motor applies. A hybrid motor is simply some combination of the two systems melded into the programing in some proprietary manner. Just go ride them (please).
  • Wattage, Voltage and Torque. These are the terms that speak to the power of individual bikes. This is also where the legal definitions of ebikes are formed. In the US an ebike is limited to 750w and this seems to be a reasonable dividing line between an ebike and the function of motorcycles. In Europe and Canada the limit is between 250w and 500w. I can tell you with Seattle hills you will be grateful for the higher wattage we are allowed. In general terms bikes come in 36 and 48 volt systems. Both work fine but I believe in Seattle you will generally be happier with a 48v bike. However, I have ridden a 36v bike for 4 years with no critical issue but my next bike will be 48v. The reason for this is torque. Torque is what I really think Seattlites should consider as it is what gets you up the hills with less effort. It also makes the start from a stoplight easier and quicker. When you ride different bikes this is what you will notice first and most. For climbing hills around the city I recommend torque output above 80 newton-meter but the number isn’t as critical as your own personal riding style, strength and comfort.
  • “What is the range” The most common question asked is about range. The answer is again nebulous. Every ebike has a range of the range it can travel on a single charge. The terrain, wind, weight load, ambient temperature, power setting and rider ability will all determine the range an ebike will travel on a charge. Fortunately a rider has control over pieces of this. By changing the power setting and gearing, the range for a ride can be managed. I have discovered the range of my bike to be between 20 and 60 miles on a charge. On cold winter days you get less out of a battery. I can’t begin to address all the nuances of batteries in this article. When considering the range you will need bear in mind you will ride further than you think simply because it’s fun.
  • Throttle or not? This again comes down to personal choice but also legal definitions. For the most part US laws are utilizing a designation system first developed in CA, for three classifications of ebikes (all within the federal definition of max 750w). Class one is governed at 20mph max and has no throttle, class 2 is the same 20mph max but has a throttle and class 3 is 28mph max with no throttle. Currently there is a lot of push to allow class 1 and sometimes class 2 bikes everywhere acoustic bikes are allowed and class 3 bikes are being limited to the streets. Very heated and very contentious discussions are common and the more people who take up ebikes the greater number of voices join in the discussion. By and large a 750w ebike is not going to have a throttle that performs like a motorcycle. Limit your expectations, they are not all that useful. 

As I’ve mentioned several times already, bicycles are deeply tied to personal preferences. Although ebike technology is a big leap in the evolution of bicycles the overall foundation remains the same as the acoustic bikes. This means that there is a plethora of aftermarket options for personalizing your ebike. The ability to tailor the fit of your bike to your stature and riding style is the key. The factory cannot design a one style fits all bike but a lot can be done with changing the geometry of handlebars, handlebar stems/necks and seats. Almost all ebikes can accept a variety of these components to the original bike frame to allow for a more custom fit. Be aware however, that there are many ebikes utilizing some proprietary accessories and mountings that might restrict your use of aftermarket components. You either appreciate this or not but be aware of it if you plan on customizing your bike. You can also change the overall performance of an ebike by changing the size of the front chainring. Once you have your bike you can explore how changing this part of your drivetrain can really tune the bike to your style or standard terrain. 

This traditional bicycle foundation means that the lion’s share of maintenance and repair work is no different from other bikes and is not beyond most people. I’m inclined to encourage everyone to learn basic bike repair either from youtube or local businesses that offer classes. At bare minimum learn how to fix a flat tire. Again we are very lucky in West Seattle to have bike shops that are quite familiar with ebikes. Please support these businesses when possible.   

Nothing is more relative than the value of a dollar. The price range of ebikes run the gamut from somewhere just short of $1000 to the bill for a semester at college. Your budget in this is up to you. I caution folks against the cheapest options in triple digits as it seems you need to be comfortable doing a fair amount of maintenance and repair and many owners seem to end up spending a lot of time and money upgrading the components (both electrical and mechanical). I’m writing this article for people facing a major transportation shift imposed on them for years, you should be thinking of this as transportation not a toy or piece of exercise equipment. I guarantee that you will quickly discover that this vehicle has value far beyond what you first considered. Can you conceive your commute being the best part of your day? That is likely inconceivable. People have found that once they own this technology they discover many more uses for it, grocery shopping, transporting small children, neighborhood errands and simply getting out for a day trip.

My hope in writing this is that you will now feel prepared and perhaps emboldened to explore ebikes as an immediate solution to the systemic shift in transportation faced by our local community. We are lucky in Seattle and even West Seattle to have commercial support for ebike adoption. Your local bike shop in almost every case will have an ebikes on the floor. This wasn’t true just a few years ago but the US market shifted in 2017. No single bike shop is going to have every option covered and once again my first and final recommendation is to ride as many different bikes as possible. 

Resources

West Seattle Bike Connections, Advocacy and Support:

Local shops (not a complete list)

 

WSBC Meeting March 3

Taylor Knowles, SDOT’s Outreach person for the East Marginal Way Corridor Project, will present the 60% design for discussion.  Please join us!

Tuesday, March 3
6:30 to 8:00 pm
Neighborhood House
6400 Sylvan Way SW  (at SW Morgan, in High Point)

We are really excited to see progress on this catalyst project. It is West Seattle’s main bike route to downtown, and the Port of Seattle’s most important “last mile” freight route. This design milestone is a great opportunity for input to dial in the design so it will really work for bike riders and truck drivers.

We and our allies at Northwest Seaport, BNSF, and SODO industries all want a safe route with clear and robust separation of vehicle and bike traffic. The result should be bike riding that is predicable for truck drivers and comfortable for bike riders of all abilities.

If you can’t make the meeting, here’s a link to the project website. One more click takes you to a survey for online input.

Semi-truck tractor with a bike in a rack on the front of the truck.
Some people commute by bike on East Marginal Way to work driving a truck.

Low Bridge Counts High

Bike Counts on the Spokane Street Bridge: +5.8% more bike trips this year through September, compared to same time in 2018.  2018 ended at 8.6% above 2017.

Seattle Bike Blog has a post today about the awesome increases at the Fremont Bridge. Counts from West Seattle confirm the trend.

Ridership would surely be even higher if we were not contending this year with

  • the Avalon Way paving project;
  • riding through the middle of a large homeless encampment on an isolated stretch of trail (now cleared);
  • the messy and confusing Alaskan Way viaduct demo work;
  • lack of progress on bike master plan implementation.

On the plus side this year:

  • good weather in January (offset by ice and snow in February) and a summer without smoke;
  • traffic congestion, including crowded buses slowed by Viaduct demo impacts;
  • increasing popularity of e-bikes.
  • What  else?

First Annual West Seattle Cranksgiving

cranksgiving

We think it’s time for West Seattle to celebrate it’s own Cranksgiving this year. Meet at the West Seattle Food Bank (3419 SW Morgan St) on November 16th at 10am with all your cargo hauling accessories on your bike and few dollars in your wallet and we will have a grand time riding all over West Seattle gathering food to donate to the food bank. (lists provided day of event)

If you have your own team of ~4 that’s great, if not we will make teams up from the singles and pairs that register. Teams will strategize and then ride off to collect as much food from as many different designated stores as they choose. Prizes will be awarded for the highest points scored on our very subjective scale and perhaps in recognition of other notable achievements of the day. After party will happen at a location TBD.

Fill out the form below to register so we have an idea how many to plan for. [Form removed. This event is in the past.]