Updated - 2006-10-05

General Impressions - Cycling Facilities Encountered

The City

from the City of Seattle's web site

"Bicycle Program

Seattle consistently has been rated one of the top spots in the country for bicycling. Not surprisingly, a substantial proportion of Seattleites use their bicycles for recreation or transportation. It is estimated that about 36% of Seattle's 520,000 citizens engage in recreational bicycling, and between 4,000 and 8,000 people bicycle commute in Seattle each day, depending on the time of year and weather conditions.

SDOT's Bicycle Program has been working steadily toward developing an urban trail system to accommodate bicyclists. Urban trails include shared use paths, bike lanes, signed bike routes, arterials with wide shoulders, and pedestrian pathways. Seattle has about 28 miles of shared use paths, 22 miles of on-street, striped bike lanes, and about 90 miles of signed bike routes.

The goal of the Urban Trails system is to:

Facilitate bicycling as a viable transportation choice;

Afford citizens the opportunity to experience the City's unique scenic and natural amenities;

Provide access to healthful recreational activities; and

Link major parks and open spaces with Seattle neighborhoods.

When completed, the City will have established a bicycle facility network linking neighborhoods and activity centers, as well as providing connections with recreational and natural areas within the Puget Sound region."

Accomplishments

from the City of Seattle's web site - http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaster.htm

Seattle Bicycle Master Plan

In June 2006, SDOT's Bicycle Program kicked off the planning process for the development of Seattle's Bicycle Master Plan. The primary objectives of this plan are to increase bicycle use and to improve bicycle safety. Components of the planning process include significant fieldwork to analyze opportunities to improve on-road bicycling conditions, evaluate policy, develop a wayfinding system, establish facility design guidelines, and create a maintenance and funding plan. Public involvement for this plan is crucial and includes ongoing participation by the Seattle Bicycle Plan Citizens' Advisory Board, an on-line questionnaire about bicycling, and periodic public workshops and meetings. A draft Master Plan document is expected by late December or early January.

The City of Seattle in partnership with the Bicycle Master Plan Advisory Board members will host the first public meeting for the Bicycle Master Plan project on Tuesday, August 29. The meeting is an opportunity for the public to give input to, and hear from, Toole Design Group and City Staff on city-wide bicycle related issues related to the master planning process. The meeting will begin with an open house to meet the consultant, city and advisory team, and review draft bike network maps. A brief presentation will follow the open house to describe the plan process, goals and expected deliverables. The meeting will conclude with an opportunity for participants to work in small groups and provide input to the project team on bicycle access, network and wayfinding issues. A detailed agenda is included below.

 Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board

http://www.seattle.gov/sbab/

Cascade bicycle Club

http://www.cascade.org/Home/

from the City of Seattle's web site - http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikeinfo.htm

Percentage increase since 1985: 100

Estimated number of participants during Bike to Work Day (2004) in King County: 10,000+

Number of free Seattle Bicycling Guide Maps distributed in 2004 and 2005: 50,000+

Number of cyclists biking to/from the downtown central business district between 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2000: 1,737

Percentage increase since 1992: 57%

Number of cyclists at the Seattle Ferry Terminal: 244

Percentage of downtown bike commuters who are female: 25%

Percentage increase since 1992: 19%

Calories burned by a 130-pound cyclist pedaling 14 miles in an hour: 402

Calories burned by a 180-pound cyclist pedaling 14 miles in an hour: 540

Ratio of street to bike trail in Seattle: 45:1

Miles of shared use paths in Seattle: 32

Miles of striped bike lanes in Seattle: 24

Miles of signed bike routes in Seattle: 90 (number out of date - signed route system being updated and revised)

Time to drive from University District to Pike Place Market in light traffic: 15 minutes

Driving time during rush hour: 35 minutes

Cycling time, moderate pace: 30 minutes

Time to park car: 5 - 25 minutes

Time to park and lock bike: 1 minute

Cost to purchase and install one bike parking rack: $150

Number of bikes which can be parked in one car parking space in a paved lot: 6 - 20

Number of bicycle racks on public sidewalks in Seattle: 2,300

Estimated cost of constructing one parking space in a paved lot: $2,200

Estimated cost of constructing one parking space in a garage: $12,500

Estimated construction of Park and Ride Costs: $17,000 per stall for surface lots, and $25,000 per stall for structured parking (per King County Transit Planning)

Number of miles cycled yearly by average bike commuter: 1,992

Cycling Network

Cycling Infrastructure Design

Cyclists concern with bike lanes next to parked car is being "Doored". Various solutions addressing this concern have been installed by various municipalities including;

• wider bike lanes so that a door may be open and cyclist has enough room to pass by,
• A safety zone painted between car parking spots and bike lane sufficiently wide for an open door,
• Inverted "T" indication the extend a door would be opened.

Some cities place a bike lane on a one-way road on the left side next to parked cars. Rational includes statistically reduced chances of being "Doored" on the passenger side;

• average car loading is less than 2 people,
• frequency of passenger door opening is much less than driver door.

From a marketing perspective, what is being conveyed, a cyclist or a bike?

Cyclist stencil - Much friendlier and more suggestive to motorists and others than a bike stencil

Number of times cyclists put their bikes on Metro buses every year: 300,000+

Number of times cyclists forgot to take their bicycles off the bus: 353

 Bikes on Buses Program

If you would like to ride a bus while traveling with your bicycle, you now can do so -- at no additional cost! Metro has installed bike racks on the front of all its buses, providing a convenient way to "bike-and-ride." You may load and unload your bicycle at any Metro bus stop except within the Ride Free Area in downtown Seattle between 6 AM and 7 PM. During these hours, loading/unloading bikes is restricted to a route's first and last ride free stop and the tunnel stops at Convention Place and International District. This is a safety policy to reduce the potential of many cyclists being between two buses in heavy downtown traffic. For further information on Metro's Bike & Ride program, visit their web site or call (206) 553-3000.

Cycling Contribution to the Economy