Language lesson…

Pat Thompson, inspirational director of the YES Foundation of White Center, talks about what it means for children and parents who speak a language other than English at home, and what God’s first language is. 

What’s that got to do with bikes???

“The Major Taylor Bike Club helps us to be fluent in the language of Love. Somehow, and I’m not exactly sure how, pedaling miles and miles and miles together, especially when many of those miles are uphill, translates into commitment and trust. Conversations about hydration and flat tires turn to sharing about struggles at school, relationship issues at home and dreams about the future.”

Thank you Whitney for volunteering to be a ride leader for Highline Major Taylor BC!  Tamara and Theresa, too!

 

Screenshot 2018-10-26 22.14.27

WSBC November 6 meeting

Our monthly meeting is coming up. You are invited!
Tuesday, November 6, 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Neighborhood House
6400 Sylvan Way SW
in High Point. North side entry.

Come join us to discuss and plan

  • Ride in the Rain Challenge
  • Neighborhood Street Fund applications for Duwamish Longhouse; Sylvan Way; Brandon St.
  • Next steps for Delridge corridor and RapidRide H
  • Updates on SDOT projects
  • Race and social justice – our group and our communities
  • [your item here]

a new critical MASS

There’s a new transportation coalition in town, and we are in it:
Move All Seattle Sustainably, or MASS.
 
An open letter to Mayor and Council on citywide priorities includes our 2018 top priority:
 
“Delridge Way multimodal corridor project. RapidRide H should be an example of how we can improve transit, walking, and biking holistically. Ask – leadership: Ensure the project makes it comfortable and convenient to walk and bike along the Delridge corridor in addition to increasing the transit level of service.”
Screenshot 2018-10-23 21.39.08

Vote for Clean Air: Vote YES on I-1631

All Seattle Neighborhood Greenways coalition groups, including West Seattle Bike Connections, and WA Bikes voted to endorse Initiative 1631!The next step is the one that really counts: Your vote on your ballot.

As Gordon at SNG says,
“It’s a natural fit as clean air and a stable climate for our families and future generations is one reason many of us, are dedicated to this work of transforming our streets and transportation system. What’s more, this initiative does more than just put a price on pollution, it will likely invest in clean transportation projects that we care about here in Seattle. ”

the campaign is leaning heavily on a strategy of turning out the vote here in Seattle. That means we are ideally situated to talk to our neighbors about why this ballot measure is important. I encourage all of us to have those conversations over the next few weeks, because person to person conversations have been proven to be the most effective way to win more votes.

Can you spend a few hours canvassing? There is canvassing happening in neighborhoods around the city every day,

Spokane Street Bridge Bike Counts

2018 bike count is +2.9% above 2017 for year-to-date, despite a wet winter/spring, closure of the bridge for over a week for emergency repairs in June, and then the forest fire smoke air quality alerts.   If you look at the data in detail, a few things jump out:

  • Weekday trips far exceed weekend trips. These mostly are working bike riders.
  • Weather and light/darkness during commute hours are by far the biggest factors.
  • Alaskan Way Viaduct closures cause a spike. See May 2016.
  • Spokane Street Bridge emergency closures cause a dip. See June 2018.
  • We don’t yet have the key safe routes to downtown to really grow the numbers yet.  Fauntleroy, Avalon, Delridge, and East Marginal Way should be the game changers.

SDOT data. Our graph.

Delridge Greenway connections progress

SDOT is proceeding now with suggestions we made during the Delridge Transit + Multimodal Corridor planning.  There’s a good Neighborhood Greenway on 26th Ave SW from Andover to SW Juneau, parallel to Delridge and just two blocks west. It’s at basically the same grade as Delridge Way, with less traffic, and connects to the Spokane Street Bridge and Alki Trail.  There is also the Delridge-Highland Park Greenway up on Pigeon Point, along Puget Ridge to Highland Park and White Center via 21st Ave SW – SW Myrtle – 1 7th Ave. That one needs some improvements, and was not connected to the 26th Ave Greenway.

Now it is connected!  SDOT has installed speed humps on Juneau between 26th Ave and SW Croft Place, and along Croft, which angles up the hill for a less steep way to go from 21st Ave down to Delridge Way.

A crew was out yesterday installing bike detectors on Juneau to trigger the stop light at Delridge.  One of them asked me as I stopped at the light if I ride this way often. And he gave a nice unsolicited explanation of the bike detectors, here for you, too.     short video

SDOT agreed to a bunch of our suggestions to improve the Delridge-Highland Park Greenway to make it a viable compromise route in lieu of northbound protected bike lanes on the south half of Delridge Way.  It’s good to see work proceeding even before the final plans for the RapidRide H line are set.  Good bike and walking c0nnections are vital for people to safely get to and from the farther-apart RapidRide bus stops. It is time for safe routes to ride, walk and roll in Delridge.

New speed humps on SW Juneau St from Croft Place to Delridge Way SW.
New speed humps on SW Croft Place.
New speed humps on SW Juneau St from 26th Ave SW to SW Croft Place.
SDOT crew working on greenway improvements on SW Juneau St at Delridge Way SW
Bike detector to trigger the stop light on SW Juneau St at Delridge Way SW.

SPD says “Pay Attention!!”

Seattle Police say “The most important overall advice for any kind of pedestrian and traffic safety is PAY ATTENTION!!”

As bike riders, we know how important it is for safety to focus on our surroundings. As drivers, feeling safe, we know distractions can be so tempting.

From Jennifer Danner, SW Precinct:
“With children back is school, it is crucial to be reminded about general traffic and pedestrian safety as well!
“Pedestrians must be very mindful of how they are utilizing the street, sidewalks and crosswalks. Children should be reminded to be extra cautious when walking to and from school. Motorists and cyclists must pay attention to traffic conditions and all pedestrians. The most important overall advice for any kind of pedestrian and traffic safety is PAY ATTENTION!!
“Drivers, please be aware that with school back in session, children will be walking to and from schools and transit stops. As autumn approaches there will be less daylight; please pay extra attention, as children may be out early in the morning/late in the evening and may be more difficult to see.”

WSBC October 2 meeting

Our monthly meeting is coming up. You are invited!
Tuesday, October 2, 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Neighborhood House
6400 Sylvan Way SW
in High Point. North side entry.

Come join us to discuss and plan

  • Updates on SDOT projects, including trails
  • Race and social justice – our group and our communities
  • The Mayor’s proposed 2019 budget
  • Next steps for Delridge corridor
  • Fauntleroy, Avalon and 36th Ave SW
  • Renewed Cascade Connects advocacy
  • [your item here]

Park(ing) Day on Delridge at Boren STEM K-8 School

We worked with the school and PTSA to celebrate Park(ing) Day!

First graders having a blast in the demonstration “protected bike lane”.

Kids and parents came over to see the demonstration protected bike lane and play games.  Thanks to Bell Helmets, we had 50 helmets to give to excited kids who need them. Teacher Adrianne brought over her whole first grade class and their “fence” of wishes and goals.

Thank you to all participants!

Doug Ollerenshaw led the effort. Michael Oxman, arborist, brought the plants that protected the bike lane. Kathy Dunn brought a great library of children’s books featuring bike riding.   Bob Winship led the helmet fitting. Kate Wells, Joe Laubach and Don Brubeck helped with games and helmets and info for parents. SDOT and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways provided the bike lane supplies.

Kathy Dunn, 1st grade teacher Adrianne, Micheal Oxman, and Parking Day leader Doug Ollerenshaw.
Joe Laubach and passengers on the new cargo bike.

North Delridge Action Plan

Seattle OPCD has released the final version of the North Delridge Action Plan. As we focus on the Delridge Multi-modal Corridor, this plan gives wider context from several years of community involvement for north Delridge neighborhoods, including from a number of people in our group.  Worth a good look.

The “active transportation” section starting on page 39 has goal that align with ours for safe, efficient bike and pedestrian transportation and for good access to transit. There are some good new items about improving the greenways and east-west connections, and improving stairways and un-opened streets, too.  Let’s talk at our next meeting about what our role can be to help the neighborhoods realize this vision.