WSBC Meeting November 4 at 6:30pm

If you’re not attending an election party on Tuesday night, why not see what WSBC is up to? Our November meeting will be both in person and virtual. We’ll be hearing from the team at Reconnect South Park about their efforts to remove or improve SR-99 through South Park. We’ll also discuss a number of projects, both completed and in the works, with enough time left over to bring up whatever is on your mind. We may even touch on the election results by the end!

Neighborhood House in High Point at 6400 Sylvan Way SW

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81025021587?pwd=fzWVkPgwaFZ3JawaxbN5RpHhdizbz9.1

Meeting ID: 810 2502 1587
Passcode: 600948

Grand Opening celebration for East Marginal Way Bike Lanes

Saturday, October 25 at 10:30am

The project is (basically*) done and now it’s time to celebrate!

Come for food, drinks, and the chance to meet many of the people involved in getting this fantastic new bike path built, including advocates, elected officials and others. See the 200+ newly-planted trees, and hear about art that will be added next year. SDOT is planning to turn on the new bike counter, so let’s turn out and get some impressive numbers logged! 

From SDOT:

Join us in celebrating the end of major construction for the East Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project!
What: Celebration event with a ribbon cutting, tabling by community partners, and free food and drinks! This is the last stop for Hot Bike Summer – If you have been following along, bring your passport to collect your prize!
Where: E Marginal Way S and S Hanford St (map)
When: Saturday, October 25, from 10:30 AM to 12 PM
Ride with a group: Bike or scoot to the event with our partners at Cascade Bicycle Club, West Seattle Bike Connections and Best Side Cycling.
Ride from Seacrest Park in West Seattle
Ride from the Seattle Ferry Terminal in Downtown

West Seattle Bike Connections members will also lead a ride from the Alaska Junction.
Meet in the Wells Fargo Parking Lot at 44th/Alaska at 9:00-9:30am
This ride departs at 9:30am

*The segment on the east side of the street between Spokane St and Horton St will open in early 2026.

East Marginal Way is open for riding!

Improving East Marginal Way S has been our top priority since 2012. Separation of bike traffic from heavy truck traffic will make it dramatically safer and less stressful to ride a bike on the primary route from West Seattle to downtown and beyond.

The improved East Marginal Way S was achieved by members of the bike and freight communities recognizing a shared interest in safety, efficiency, and resilience for our roadways and seaport. We worked to understand and accommodate each other’s needs, to convince elected officials, to obtain funding, and this allowed SDOT to arrive at an outstanding design that works for everyone. Thanks to everyone who helped along the way!

Let’s enjoy some before pictures to remember how things used to be:

 

Check back for details about the Grand Opening celebration on October 25!

Little Seattle to Portland Ride Sunday, July 13

Have you ever wanted to do the Seattle-to-Portland bike ride? And forgot to sign up? Or train for it? Here is your big chance! Do it in 2 hours and end up at a huge finish line party! Same weekend as Cascade’s big STP, so you can brag and post pix like the other one-day riders.

Join West Seattle Bike Connections for a ride starting at Hamilton Viewpoint Park in West Seattle on a 10.2-mile route at a leisurely 10-12 mph pace! Register at the start. We invite and welcome everyone including people of all ages, languages, ethnicities, genders, races, and abilities. Riders under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

We will be riding from SW Seattle Street to SW Portland Street, and back north to Summer Fest at the West Seattle Junction, for a fabulous finish line party. After some time at the festival, participants can ride home independently, or ride with a leader back to Hamilton Viewpoint.

Our goal will be to stay together as a group. Be prepared for a moderately hilly route. There are a couple of hills that some may wish to walk up. That’s fine! We will regroup at the top of hills.

Restrooms are not available at the start. Closest public restrooms are at Seacrest Marina Park (the water taxi dock) on Harbor Ave. We will stop along the way for restrooms/water at mile 2.7 at the Alaska Junction.

Check brakes and tires before leaving home. Arrive in time for 9:15 ride description and safety briefing. Must be present at the safety briefing to participate. Helmets required. No ear buds. Steady rain cancels. We will ride if there are just light showers.

West Seattle Little STP Bike Ride
Sunday, July 13, 2025 – 9:15 am to 1:00 pm
Meet at Hamilton Viewpoint Park
1318 Palm Ave SW
Contact:  Nick, Ride Leader
Email: westseattlebikeconnections@gmail.com

Disaster Resilience Ride May 18

The anniversary of Mt. St. Helens is a reminder that disasters can happen anywhere and at any time. Are you prepared? Learn about disaster kits, about Seattle’s Emergency Hub network, and how you have an important disaster tool in your garage right now – your bicycle!

Join West Seattle Bike Connections, Seattle Emergency Hubs and Alki Bike & Board for an 8 mile, family-friendly, educational ride in West Seattle.

May 18 starting at 1:00pm (please arrive early to check in, or at 12:30 for a free bike inspection) at the Salvation Army in Highland Park at 9050 16th Ave SW

 

 

Bike Everywhere Day is Wednesday, May 14th!

West Seattle Bike Connections and friends welcome you once again to Bike Everywhere Day at the west end of the Spokane Low Bridge from 6 to 9 AM on Wednesday, May 14.

Homemade baked goods, coffee and information on bicycling routes and planned improvements will be available, and local enthusiasts can answer questions about commuting, recreational cycling and other biking issues.

People with bikes, includng kids, gathered at our Bike Everywhere Day Celebration Station. West Seattle bridge in background.Local bike shops will be on hand for simple, on-the-spot repairs.(Note: the day has been moved to Wednesday this year.)

Transportation Levy – call for action

The next Seattle Transportation Levy will fund most of the next 8 years of work on our streets, trails and public spaces. The Mayor’s draft does not get us where we need to go. Deadline is this Friday for comments.

Please spend five minutes to take the SDOT “community questionnaire”survey.

The City’s polling shows that voters will support a $1.7B levy that could make real progress. Why would we want to vote for a $1.3B levy that just reinforces car-dependency, fails to act on climate change, and fails to improve safety, equity, and connectivity commitments to people walking, rolling, biking and taking transit.

Please  take the SDOT “community questionnaire”survey.
Group photo of bike riders from West Seattle at rally at Jimi Hendrix Park.
West Seattle represents at rally for Transportation and Housing for a Healthy Future.

Ride to the Rally

We rode to the Transportation and Housing rally with our allies… to tell the Mayor and Council that we need a Transportation Levy that prioritizes safety, equity, climate action, and the needs of people walking, rolling, biking, and using transit. The draft levy does not get us to where we need to go.
Poster for Transportation and Housing for a Healthy Future Rally, April 20, 2024
Because the Spokane Street bridge was closed to traffic, we took a route yesterday across the 1st Avenue Bridge through Georgetown and SODO that demonstrates the needs that the draft levy will not meet.
Thank you Stu Hennessey for leading the ride.
Group of bike riders in protected bike lanes on West Marginal Way SW
in protected bike lanes on West Marginal Way SW
Group of bike riders crossing street
Crossing from bike lanes on West Marginal Way SW to Duwamish Trail.
Group of bike riders on paved trail by railroad tracks and street.
On the Duwamish Trail
Group of bike riders on First Avenue South Bridge.
on First Avenue South Bridge.
Stu Hennessey at East Marginal Way S
Group of bike riders
Waiting to cross East Marginal Way S at S River Street/ 4th Avenue S

 

Photo of Clara Cantor taking a group photo
Clara from Seattle Neighborhood Greenways taking a group photo at rally

 

 

 

West Seattle group arriving at rally
View of people at rally at Jimi Hendrix Park
Rally at Jimi Hendrix Park

We need a transportation levy to get Seattle on track

A woman sitting in a wheelchair speaks into a microphone in front of a row of people wearing raincoats and holding signs promoting and demanding sidewalks, buses, and bike lanes.

Last week, Mayor Harrell released his draft proposal for the next levy that will fund our transportation projects for the next 8 years, and it won’t get us where we need to go. 

ACT NOW to push back on cuts to sidewalks and transit funding.

Seattle needs a levy that puts us on track to meet our city’s climate, safety, and equity goals. These are commitments that the city has already made. But these goals don’t mean anything if we don’t fund them. Now is the time to put our money where our mouth is!

At a time when we need to be investing more, his draft proposal:

  • Slashes pedestrian funding by $32 million (23%), compared to current levy spending, adjusted for inflation.
  • Slashes transit funding by $52 million (30%)
  • Increases car-focused spending by $189 million (33%), bringing this bucket dramatically out of balance with other spending.

ACT NOW to push back on dramatic cuts to sidewalks and transit funding.

Alt Text: Three images of people holding signs that read “Safe Streets for the South End”, “I <3 sidewalks, bike lanes, & bus lanes!” and “Don’t Defund Transit.”

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways,  Disability Rights Washington, West Seattle Bike Connections and 12 other organizations (and counting!) are pushing to right these wrongs.

Our Demands:

  • Dedicate at least 50% of levy funding to improvements for people walking, rolling, biking, and riding transit (a minimum!)
  • Prioritize levy funding for historically disinvested communities that do not yet have safe walking and biking infrastructure, including south Delridge and Roxbury.
  • Propose a larger levy total of at least $1.7B.

Specifically, we’re pushing for funding for:

  1. Accessibility — sidewalks and crosswalks:
  2. Safety — Vision Zero
  3. Transit Reliability
  4. Equitable Bike Routes
  5. Anti-Displacement Work
  6. Urban Freeway Mitigation
  7. Livability: accessible public restrooms

Click here to see the full set of demands.

 

Bike Everywhere Day – May 17, 2024

West Seattle Bike Connections and friends welcome you once again to Bike Everywhere Day
at the west end of the Spokane Low Bridge
from 6 to 9 AM on Friday, May 17.

Homemade baked goods, coffee, and information on bicycling routes and planned improvements will be available, and local enthusiasts can answer questions about commuting, recreational cycling and other biking issues.

SDOT will be there with the latest info on the East Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project and local bike shops will be on hand for simple, on-the-spot repairs