Uff Da! Ballard Defies Trend Toward Cycling on Safer Streets

Uff Da! Ballard Defies Trend Toward Cycling on Safer Streets

They may well be popular in Ballard, too, but at a recent greenways open house, “several” of the 100 audience members were upset about the plan, reported MyBallard. Sample comment: “Neither SDOT, McGinn, nor the bicycle mafia could care less what the community thinks. They are hell bent on ruining the city for drivers, and will stop at nothing to do it.” Continue reading Uff Da! Ballard Defies Trend Toward Cycling on Safer Streets

The Greenways are Coming! (to Beacon Hill and Ballard)

The Greenways are Coming! (to Beacon Hill and Ballard)

Wallingford had its greenway grand opening in mid-June, and now Beacon Hill and Ballard get to learn what all the traffic-calming excitement is about. Beacon Hill’s open house is tonight, July 19, at Jefferson Community Center (3801 Beacon Avenue S) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Ballard’s greenway-curious population will gather next Thursday, July 26, at Adams Elementary School (6110 28th Avenue NW), in the cafeteria. Continue reading The Greenways are Coming! (to Beacon Hill and Ballard)

Wallingford’s Greenway Gets a Grand Opening This Saturday

Wallingford’s Greenway Gets a Grand Opening This Saturday

The official opening of the Wallingford Greenway, Seattle’s first, is this Saturday, June 16, at 5 p.m. The City Council’s Sally Bagshaw, a big greenways booster; SDOT Director Peter Hahn; and friends of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways will be there for a ribbon-cutting ceremony (at North 44th Street at Corliss) allowing Kidical Mass—pretty much what it sounds like—to pass through. Continue reading Wallingford’s Greenway Gets a Grand Opening This Saturday

Burke-Gilman Trail Reopening Contrasts with Growing Greenway Interest

Burke-Gilman Trail Reopening Contrasts with Growing Greenway Interest

Despite the Burke-Gilman operating as a sort of I-5 for bike commuters, the hilly detour suggested seemed not to have cyclists in mind, the renovation took longer than expected–eight months–and the budget almost doubled in size to $4.9 million: “Construction hit some snags regarding soil condition, utility work and trees, and much of the work had to be redesigned,” Seattle Bike Blog summarizes. Continue reading Burke-Gilman Trail Reopening Contrasts with Growing Greenway Interest

Portland Has a Greenway They’d Like to Sell Seattle

Portland Has a Greenway They’d Like to Sell Seattle

It changes the whole personality of the street when it’s safe enough for kids to bike on. And it’s quick and easy, relative to other transportation solutions. On Thursday, September 22, you can get the details from Mark Lear and Greg Raisman, who are visiting the University of Washington (Savery Hall 264, 7 p.m.) for a talk about Portland’s Neighborhood Greenways program. Continue reading Portland Has a Greenway They’d Like to Sell Seattle

Cycling as a Uniter, Not a Divider

Cycling as a Uniter, Not a Divider

Now, certainly, biking is a more popular choice for anyone on a budget. Sightline’s Eric de Place says, “the biggest share of bicyclists isn’t yuppies, it’s low income people. In fact, the lowest-earning quarter of Americans make nearly one-third of all bike trips.”

But he emphasizes that bicycling is “remarkably evenly distributed” among the other three quarters. Said another way, the poorer half of the U.S. makes 52 percent of all bike trips, while the richer half make 48 percent. Continue reading Cycling as a Uniter, Not a Divider