West Seattle Bike Connections

Stop by and visit with Kathy and Theresa from West Seattle Bike Connections this Saturday at the White Center Community Summit!

We  have applied for two Neighborhood Parks & Streets Fund Grants grants and assisted other groups with two more — if you know people on the Southwest or the Delridge District Councils, please give these a plug. For small projects by SDOT and Parks.

– 11th Ave SW & SW Holden St:  Holden is a high speed arterial. We are requesting a flashing beacon sign at crosswalk, so kids and slower adults can safely cross. It’s on a planned Greenway route. Submitted by Highland Park Action Committee with support from us and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways — it’s on SNG’s top 10 list city-wide!

– California Ave SW & SW Juneau St:  requesting a marked cross walk with flashing beacon sign, and maybe curb bulbs, to connect future Greenways that will run parallel to California. This is a relatively flat spot to get to businesses, schools, and parks. Submitted by us, with support from Morgan Community Association and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. It’s the other SNG top 10 Greenway intersection in West Seattle.

– Alki Trail / Harbor Ave SW at SW Spokane St: Requesting trail markings to reduce bike/pedestrian conflicts at the corner and at Kitty Harbor and Cycle U.  Submitted by us, with support from Admiral Neighborhood Association, Alki Community Council, and businesses.

– Delridge Ave SW mid-block crossing at Boren School:  Requesting crossing improvements so kids and parents can get from parking lot, bike and walking routes to school.  Submitted by WSBC member and parent Craig Rankin with support from PTSA, Highland Park Action Committee, us, and others.

Thank you to Dongho Chang, SDOT Chief Traffic Engineer, for riding out to meet and look at the bike detour. He’ll ask the project to move the fence behind the sign base and electrical box for a little more room. Video sensors now detect northbound bikes to change the light, and the east-west crosswalk signal goes on a cycle without having to press button.

The Port of Seattle says it’s really tight for trucks turning into T46, so it’s really tight for us.

We’ve probably got 3 to 4 weeks before the permanent path is finished, and then will not have to cross the road. The path will have a west side option for those going south or using sidewalk to go north, and an east side option for those using the northbound bike lane or turning north from S Atlantic St.

We and others gave WSDOT some feedback on bike crossings and new detours at the newly opened Atlantic Street flyover crossing.  The viaduct replacement project has responded, as you have seen this week if you take that route to downtown. Kudos to all who spoke up! Here’s their message and an invitation for more communication this Thursday at Milepost 31, from 6:00 t0 6:30 PM.  211 First Ave S in Pioneer Square.

Hello Don,

Thank you for providing us with further feedback about the shared-use path at the intersection of South Atlantic Street and Alaskan Way South.  WSDOT and SDOT have been coordinating closely since the new South Atlantic Street overpass opened, and I want to respond to your questions and give you an update to some changes we’ve made after receiving feedback from you and others in the bicycle community.

We’ve changed the way the signals operate at this intersection so that it will no longer be necessary for bicyclists to push the pedestrian button to trigger the pedestrian walk signal to change. The walk signal will turn over automatically with each rotation of the signal cycle.

Due to limited sight distance and physical constraints, it is not possible to widen the path at the northwest corner of this intersection. Bicyclists should use caution when approaching this intersection. As a reminder, the width and curve of the path at this location will change when the permanent path opens.

Currently, bicycles approaching the intersection in the northbound bike lane do in fact trigger the signal sensors in the same way that vehicles do, using video detection which senses forward motion in the bike lane. This will continue to be the case when the permanent path opens.

We are committed to providing timely and helpful information to the bicycle community. On Thursday, Feb. 6, WSDOT and SDOT staff will be on-hand at Milepost 31 to answer questions and comments about the shared-use path. We have posted signs on this path to inform commuters of the event, and let them know how to contact us directly. We hope that you can join us, and would appreciate your help in spreading the word about this opportunity.

Prior to the new path opening in March 2014, we will notify bicycle stakeholder groups in the area and submit a post to the Seattle Bike Blog. We will be on-site during the peak commute times with information about the changing configuration. If you have any other suggestions about ways to reach out to the bicycle community, please let me know.

For the most up-to-date information on the viaduct program, visit www.alaskanwayviaduct.org.

Regards,

Genevieve Stokes
Communications Officer
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

   WSDOT and Contractor  Skanska are learning from the Duwamish and Suquamish

How long will this new bike trap last? Until the last cyclist is caught? Five foot wide blind corner with fence post blocks in the curve, for two-way bike and pedestrian traffic ?

What is wrong with these pictures?

Would you like to encourage kids at Denny Middle School to join and ride in their Major Taylor Club?

They need some bikes to ride!

West Seattle Bike Connections’ Theresa Beaulieu has a gofundme campaign started, to buy 12 to 15 new mountain bikes to get kids riding who cannot afford bikes, as her latest bike project at Denny.

Donate here

Chief Sealth has a Major Taylor for high school students, now in its third year, thanks to Cascade Bicycle Club.   These older kids have an Earn-a-bike program. Bringing this to Middle Schools is a new venture. West Seattleite Ed Ewing leads Cascade’s Major Taylor Club project.