Completion of the flyover lanes affects bicyclists this weekend
from Genevieve Stokes, Communications Officer, Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program
To complete the connections between the new South Atlantic Street overpass and nearby streets, crews must close South Atlantic Street and the State Route 99 off-ramp to Atlantic this weekend. Both closures will start at 4 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. The overpass and off-ramp will open to traffic by 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 27.
During the closure, bicyclists will be able to travel from Alaskan Way South (south of South Atlantic Street) to the temporary bike path on the west side of the new overpass. However, bicyclists will not be able to use the bike lane north of South Massachusetts Street. Instead they will need to use the sidewalk on the west side of the street between South Massachusetts and South Atlantic streets, crossing in front of Terminal 46 via the crosswalk. In addition, flaggers will direct bicyclists riding east on South Atlantic Street.
When the new overpass opens, South Atlantic Street will remain closed to through traffic under SR 99. The crosswalks and sidewalks on the north side of South Atlantic Street will be open and bicyclists will also be able to use the overpass when a train is blocking the roadway.*Please note, the sidewalk on the overpass will not open until late in the week of Jan. 27.[WSBC note: the guardrail was not poured as of yesterday, Don’t try it!]
More changes coming soon to the shared-use path
Later this winter, crews will complete the link between the new path from South King Street and the on-street bike lanes south of South Atlantic Street. Until then, bicyclists will continue to use the temporary path between South Royal Brougham Way and South Atlantic Street. A map on our webpage highlights the temporary and future shared-use path and the bike routes in this area.
This is what you look like with high-powered lights.
Have you ever wondered what you look like at night while riding a bike? A few of us have, and we decided to record ourselves from the perspective of sitting in the driver’s seat of a car.
There has been debate about bike lighting, more specifically how effective it is to have high-powered lights and using lights in “strobe” or “blinky” mode. Seattle Bike Blog has some interesting comments about bike lighting in an article published back in October, and Crosscut called out “bike bullies” back in November. Lots of talk, but no one has ever shown what these lights look like to others.
On Friday, January 17th, we went to Jack Block Park where four of us were on bikes with an arsenal of lights and we had a car to use for setting up a video camera. We used Jack Block Park because there are some dark areas and we knew there wouldn’t be anyone else around.
Our video setup consisted of a GoPro Hero 2 camera with headstrap mounted to the headrest of the driver’s seat inside a car. We moved the seat forward so we could position the camera as close as possible to where your head would be if you were sitting in the seat. The GoPro camera recorded video with 960 resolution, 30 fps, and wide angle of 170 degrees. Humans have an almost 180-degree forward-facing horizontal field of view, so we figured this camera setup would be comparable to what you’d see.
Lights & Gear Info
Below is a list of the lights and other gear we had for these tests that you’ll see in the videos. We’ll have some notes about each test to help show where in the videos they’re being used.
ANSI II rated safety vest (for construction and road work), yellow with wide silver 3M retroreflective tape
Test 1 – Car Lights Off, Bike Lights Off
This test clearly shows that you should have some kind of light at night. There’s some ambient light coming from the left side of the video, which is Port property. You can barely see the light-colored jackets in the video, and it’s only when we ride by the car at very close distances.
Test 2 – Car Lights Off, Bike Lights On (“Normal Mode”)
Here we’ve got our lights on modes that we’d normally ride with at night. We haven’t seen ourselves or gotten feedback until this point. We only put the lights on at levels we feel comfortable with (so we can see and be seen).
We’ve all got similar rear red lights, but the bright blinking red helmet light on the third bike is the Serfas Thunderbolt UTL-6. It’s highly visible and not too annoying. The other rear blinky lights are detectable, but could probably be even brighter for those cases of drivers who forget to turn on headlights when it’s dark outside.
The SpokeGrenade SG-1000 is pretty bright, but Al says he generally covers it or directs it down for approaching traffic since he knows it’s bright and uses it to see dangerous obstacles on dark trails (like tree branches and glass on the Duwamish Trail). None of the other front lights appear to be overpowering.
It should be pretty clear that reflective gear is very visible with car lights on. The distance from the car to the fence in the background is about 100 feet. The most noticeable reflective gear is generally on things that move (wheels, legs, shoes). One thing with the Schwalbe Marathon tires is that the reflective sidewall needs to be clean to be visible.
Test 4 – Car Lights On, Bike Lights On (High Modes)
This is where it gets good. The first bike has two Magicshine 900-lumen lights and one Niterider Lumina 650, all on high. And they’re pointed straight ahead (not down at the ground). The Magicshine lights are cheap Chinese lights that are more like 600 lumens, but all of these on high is like having something around 2000 lumens. Clearly this is annoying and overpowering. We’d never run lights like this on the streets.
Test 6 – Car Lights On, Bike Lights On (Blinky Modes)
This is where it gets better. Some front lights on blinky mode can give you a seizure. We wanted to show this.
The first bike has Niterider Lumina 650 (on strobe mode) and Serfas CP-USB (blinky mode). The strobe mode on the Niterider light is actually called “walk” mode and only outputs ~40 lumens. But clearly it’s annoying and distracting (and is never used in this mode).
Yes, blinky lights are noticeable. They even draw your eyes to them. But they can be distracting to others and really don’t help for a rider to see anything in front of them. And it’s technically illegal to have a front flashing light (although you could have an amber colored front light that flashes).
(3) Flashing lights are prohibited except as required in RCW 46.37.190, 46.37.200, 46.37.210, 46.37.215, and 46.37.300, warning lamps authorized by the state patrol, and light-emitting diode flashing taillights on bicycles.
Test 7 – Helmet view of pedestrians with no lights
Many people simply aren’t aware of what they look like at night when they’re walking. Bike lights on “normal” modes don’t have the same power or beam spread as a car headlight, and the most dangerous situation arises when bikes and pedestrians share the same off-street trail with no ambient lighting, and pedestrians have no lights while wearing non-reflective dark clothing.
This video shows two people, one wearing a light colored reflective jacket and the other wearing all black. With ambient lighting behind them you can only pick out silhouettes. The bike light is a Niterider Lumina 650 on low (~200 lumens) and pointed down (“normal” mode for commuting).
LED lights can pack a punch. There’s no legal limit for how bright a bike light can be. And there’s plenty of high-powered bike lights out there that are very cheap (you can get 1800+ lumen lights for about $20 on eBay). Even “commuter” bike lights are getting close to 1000 lumens.
Lights around 200 lumens are definitely acceptable for commuting. Anything over 500 lumens should be used sparingly and definitely not pointed straight ahead but rather down at the ground in front of you.
Blinky lights should be used courteously. And high-powered lights should not be used in blinky (or strobe) mode. You should know what your own lights look like before using them.
Spoke lights are great for being visible from the side and at angles. Monkey Lights are a good choice.
Reflective gear (clothing, stickers, tires, etc) works well when there’s a light source hitting it. Light-colored clothing is definitely better than dark clothing.
Local bike shops can be a great source of lights and information. They likely won’t recommend a high-powered light for commuting.
Questions and comments are appreciated. Special thanks to Don Brubeck, Kathy Dunn, Al Jackson, and Jeff Hallman for riding, and Bob Winship for the car to video from.
We walked together with Mr St Clair’s neice, friends, fellow Tlingit Gene Tagaban, who came up from Tacoma, and concerned neighbors in the High Point area and from Arbor Heights to Alki. An eagle flew over as Mr Sinclair’s fellow Raven clan member sang a Tlingit paddle song and reminded us to bring the light to this place.
At HP Neighborhood House, we talked together about improving safety on 35th (“I-35”) with Council Member Tom Rasmussen, Mayor Murray’s transportation advisor Andrew Glass Hastings, Jim Curtin from SDOT, presidents of Delridge, Morgan Junction and High Point community associations, Cathy Tuttle and Gordon Padelford from Seattle Neighborhood Greenways , Seattle Women in Action, and Greenways group representatives from as far as Lake City. Lots more on West Seattle Blog
This evening some of us meet at Jack Block Park to be video-taped by Jeff Hallman through a car windshield, to see how we bike riders appear to car drivers and others at night. Video coming after Jeff has some time to edit.
It was an opportunity to see first-hand from another point of view just how well, or not, our lights and/or reflective gear work from all angles and in different lighting situations. We had a variety of light setups and reflectivity, and tried with and without car lights shining on us, and with and without our lights on. Some surprises, good and bad, for each of us. We’ll share it soon. No surprise that it’s really hard to see riders who are riding without lights in dark clothing!
from West Seattle Bike Connections monthly meeting: and we need volunteers to make these things happen, so if you see something interesting, don’t be shy!
1. Visibility at Night event – Jeff Hallman will pick date when weather forecast looks good. Location: Jack Block Park. Port of Seattle Public Information and police are cooperative. Jeff will do videos of people with various gear.
2. Winter Ride. In planning stage, weather dependent. Tweed ride to Junction? Longer WS loop?
3. Bike corrals:
Aili LePard is working with supportive Junction businesses and SDOT’s new person in charge.
Theresa is submitting a grant application on Friday to purchase a bike corral to be installed in front of Proletariat Pizza in White Center.
4. Bike to Work Day station hosting Friday, May 16. Bob Winship will lead again.
5. South Park route. Bob Winship reported on Transportation Committee meeting, and Don Brubeck on visit and tour with M.C. Halvorsen. Bob will continue to work with SP, EOS/TAG and SDOT.
6. Greenways:
Greenways mapping volunteer needed to assist Seattle Neighborhood Greenways with their Google Map project, This is not to start a new route selection process – just to document what is in the Bike Master Plan Update in a format usable by SNG to add specific information about desirable features or conditions, in simple format.
Bike counter installed on 26th Ave Greenway.
Is it time to encourage formation of some new greenway groups for new routes, e.g. Arbor Heights and Admiral-to-Alaska Junction?
7. Neighborhood Parks and Street Fund projects grant cycle coming up. 2/4/14 deadline for NSF grants http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/npsf/default.htm . Will explore the Spokane/Harbor Ave Alki Trail/Kitty Harbor corner, or West Duwamish Trail spot improvements? Or bike corral at park near the Alaska Junction? Community Association support is needed, to get District Council support.
8. City Council to vote on Bike Master Plan Update. Messages of support needed.
9. Terminal 18/Fishing bridge planters: Don will reach out to SDOT contacts to see if there is a planting plan for the empty planters that we could help implement.
10. West Seattle Bike Festival: in August, exact date to be determined. Brad Loetel at West Seattle Cyclery is taking the lead. Junction business association on board. Sanctioned crit race, big loop ride, family ride. We would organize a family ride, helmet fitting and pre-ride bike safety checks.
11. Schools report from Theresa Beaulieu:
• Denny bike to school event January 17th ride your bike for treats and winter riding gear also wear Seahawks swag for an extra prize!
• Denny-Lincoln classic will happen again in May.
• Working on funding ideas to raise money to purchase bikes for a Major Taylor afterschool program.
12. East Marginal Way: Flashing beacon crosswalk at Horton is in place.
13. WS Bridge bike counter: New pavement sensor seems to have fixed it. Go get counted!
WSBC monthly meeting is Tuesday, January 7
at Bob Winship’s house, 3438 36th Ave SW
between Manning and Hinds
Reports and planning for events and projects. All are welcome!
Bob says, “If (brave, layered soul) you’re cycling uphill from the south or east, it’s best to cross Fauntleroy at Avalon/36th and continue up 36th”
Here is a story from Full Life Care and their ElderFriends program that might stretch our vision of what it means to make our streets work for people of all ages and abilities…
“We’re both free spirits,” says Jodee Thelen, a long-time ElderFriends volunteer. “We communicate with nature and music and we both love riding bikes.”
Jodee’s kindred spirit is Constance Griffin, “Sparrow” to her friends. The last surviving sibling of a large family, she now lives alone. Sparrow had her first ElderFriend in 2006, when she was seeking new friends and an expanded support system. Connecting with ElderFriends’ friendly visitors helps her ward off loneliness. She says, “Life is so much better since I’ve known ElderFriends.” She’s also enjoyed holiday visits as part of ElderFriends’ holiday meal deliveries.
Last Thanksgiving, Jodee Thelen delivered a meal to Sparrow, and they discovered that they shared a spirit of adventure, and love of nature and music. Shortly after the meal, they formalized their ElderFriends relationship and have continued to build their friendship throughout the year. “We hit it off from the start,” says Sparrow. “And our friendship gives me hope because I have something to look forward to. I know she’s there; I have someone who thinks about me.”
Their outings are eclectic, comprising a vast array of activities. In recent months, they attended the ElderFriends BBQ at Magnuson Park, and they also enjoyed the Seattle Symphony Day of Music, where they heard “a fabulous Native American flute player. I just closed my eyes and I was in the forest,” Sparrow recalls.
“We both love the outdoors,” Jodee says, “And Sparrow was even part of a small group that pedaled bikes to Alaska over six weeks. She was in her fifties then; that really inspires me.”
Jodee is currently inspired to help Sparrow acquire a new, lightweight bicycle so that she can get around her neighborhood more easily and independently. Or sometimes, with a friend at her side.
Reprinted from Full Life Times Winter 2013-2014, with permission from Sparrow, Jodie and FullLifeCare.
News from Dawn Schellenberg at SDOT: “To help measure how well neighborhood greenways are preforming, three permanent bike counters are being installed on greenways this month. Ultimately we hope to have 10. One will be located on 26th Ave SW Between SW Oregon St and SW Alaska St. It will be small metal controller box with a sign that says Neighborhood Greenway Bike Counter (see attached) placed on the sidewalk near the curb. Two small tube sensors will stretch from the box across the street. It is not as fancy as the Spokane counter and will not display counts. However, we will put the data online and update it once a month—probably starting in February. I’ll have a link from our NGW home page.”
We had a great turnout for the the Highland Park/Delridge Greenway SDOT outreach meeting last month. The North Delridge greenways on 21st and 22nd are actually being built and used! We have greenways all over the map of West Seattle in the Bike Master Plan update. One reason for this: the concerted action of the Seattle Neighborhood Greenways coalition. We are part of it, along with West Seattle Greenways and West Seattle Spokespeople. Our WS groups have zero budget, fueled by volunteer hours. But Seattle Neighborhood Greenways pays two people modest salaries to support groups like ours by doing the legwork that most of us with day jobs cannot do.
We are much more effective by being a part of the Seattle Neighborhood Greenways coalition of neighborhood groups that advocates for our needs and connects us to City Hall. Among many other things, working as a coalition we have dramatically increased funding and standards for neighborhood greenways and safe crossings.
In 2014, our coalition will focus on updates of the Pedestrian Master Plan, the Right-of-Way Improvement Manual, School Road Safety Plans, intersection improvements, tactical urbanism, Safe Routes to Parks, mini-grants for local groups, and a greenways “report card”!
Will you make a tax-deductible investment to power your movement to even greater successes in 2014? We have a $25,000 match that will double your gift, but only until January 1st. Please take advantage of this opportunity and donate today! http://seattlegreenways.org/get-involved/donate/
SDOT and the Mayor have sent the recommended Bike Master Plan Update to City Council for review and approval. It is subject to change by Council.
The Council’s Transportation Committee will be taking public input this Wednesday, December 11, 5:30 to 8:00. See Events.
We’ve given lots of input from West Seattle during the development of the plan. It shows in the final product. Our “report card” is attached. We give it a grade of Excellent. If you agree, this may be the best final opportunity to give it support before the full Council votes on it. 1301208 SBMP West Sea report
