More on that streetcar
I just got the official announcement from the people organising the protest ride about unnecessary hazards on Westlake Ave. I thought I should share it.
Dear Friends,
On December 12 the S.L.U.T. begins operation, and we will be on site from 5:30-6:30pm, riding this route around Westlake Ave N, protesting the lack of consideration for Seattle cycling commuters and their safety, and asking that the Seattle Department of Transportation correct this grievous and dangerous error.
click for ride materials.
As you may or may not know, the South Lake Union Trolley or S.L.U.T. is a project of Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc., meant to connect the South Lake Union tech campus to downtown. Despite serious concerns voiced by major local cycling organizations and prior Department of Transportation experience in Portland, Seattle fast-tracked the streetcar project under pressure from Vulcan Inc., installing tracks in a configuration that is hostile to cyclists, placing tracks in the right hand lane rather than in the center lane as is common on other lines.
Installation of these tracks has led to a large increase in track-related accidents involving cyclists, whose wheels are easily caught in the tracks, as well as conflict with motorists, who do not expect or are angered by cyclists present in the left hand lane.
RCW 46.61.755 and
RCW 46.61.770 state that cyclists are allowed the same rights and responsibilities of all vehicles, and when slower than the surrounding traffic they are to ride as far right on the roadway as is safe.
The Seattle Department of Transportation suggests that cyclists either ride in the left hand lane or take an alternate route, yet all alternate routes involve significant route changes including significant elevation gain. The gaps in the tracks are 44mm wide. Mountain bike tires are often around 49mm wide and are safe from the track gaps, but the road bikes that many commuting cyclists ride often have 23-32mm tires that easily get caught in the tracks.
Portland's preliminary streetcar experience was initially very similar to Seattle's. Under pressure, Portland installed their first tracks on the right hand side of the road. In the first year, before warning signs were added, the city saw a huge spike in cyclist injuries along the tracks. Since then, Portland's streetcar guidelines put tracks in the center of the road or on dedicated paths separated from other traffic and as a result their cyclist injury rate has fallen.
Despite Portland's experience and many cyclist injuries along Westlake before the trolley has even begun to run, Seattle Department of Transportation has responded to concerned cyclists only to inform them that a bike lane is to be installed on 9th Ave N in late 2008 or 2009. Seattle Department of Transportation has no plans at this time to fill the gap, mark the road with sharrows to indicate safe positioning for cyclists, or add caution signs at major intersections where cyclists commonly intersect with Westlake.
What cyclists are asking for is minimal:
Providing cyclists with safety measures along Westlake Ave N ensures that the viability of mass transit as well as pedal-powered transportation can co-exist, giving the people of Seattle the opportunity to choose the method right for them, and thus reducing overall motor vehicle traffic and keeping our city green and thriving.
The possibility that cyclists will be seriously injured or killed before warning signs, track filler, or alternate routes are in place on Westlake Ave N is of great concern, and has already been demonstrated by the number of cyclists injured along the tracks in recent months.
Can't ride? Please take the time to email or call the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Seattle City Council, Mayor Nickels, Vulcan Inc, and the South Lake Union Neighborhood Association. You can also help by putting up posters, flyering, or simply talking about this issue with your friends and acquaintances, and encourage them to do the same.
Thus far we have been unable to accumulate a firm count of how many bicycle accidents have occurred on the S.L.U.T. tracks, but as of today we have received quite a few frightening accounts, and we continue to collect your stories and supply them to SDOT as well as the Bicycle Advisory Board.
Thank you for your continued support and please continue to ride safely,
the SeattleLikesBikes.org crew
Dear Friends,
On December 12 the S.L.U.T. begins operation, and we will be on site from 5:30-6:30pm, riding this route around Westlake Ave N, protesting the lack of consideration for Seattle cycling commuters and their safety, and asking that the Seattle Department of Transportation correct this grievous and dangerous error.
click for ride materials.
As you may or may not know, the South Lake Union Trolley or S.L.U.T. is a project of Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc., meant to connect the South Lake Union tech campus to downtown. Despite serious concerns voiced by major local cycling organizations and prior Department of Transportation experience in Portland, Seattle fast-tracked the streetcar project under pressure from Vulcan Inc., installing tracks in a configuration that is hostile to cyclists, placing tracks in the right hand lane rather than in the center lane as is common on other lines.
Installation of these tracks has led to a large increase in track-related accidents involving cyclists, whose wheels are easily caught in the tracks, as well as conflict with motorists, who do not expect or are angered by cyclists present in the left hand lane.
RCW 46.61.755 and
RCW 46.61.770 state that cyclists are allowed the same rights and responsibilities of all vehicles, and when slower than the surrounding traffic they are to ride as far right on the roadway as is safe.
The Seattle Department of Transportation suggests that cyclists either ride in the left hand lane or take an alternate route, yet all alternate routes involve significant route changes including significant elevation gain. The gaps in the tracks are 44mm wide. Mountain bike tires are often around 49mm wide and are safe from the track gaps, but the road bikes that many commuting cyclists ride often have 23-32mm tires that easily get caught in the tracks.
Portland's preliminary streetcar experience was initially very similar to Seattle's. Under pressure, Portland installed their first tracks on the right hand side of the road. In the first year, before warning signs were added, the city saw a huge spike in cyclist injuries along the tracks. Since then, Portland's streetcar guidelines put tracks in the center of the road or on dedicated paths separated from other traffic and as a result their cyclist injury rate has fallen.
Despite Portland's experience and many cyclist injuries along Westlake before the trolley has even begun to run, Seattle Department of Transportation has responded to concerned cyclists only to inform them that a bike lane is to be installed on 9th Ave N in late 2008 or 2009. Seattle Department of Transportation has no plans at this time to fill the gap, mark the road with sharrows to indicate safe positioning for cyclists, or add caution signs at major intersections where cyclists commonly intersect with Westlake.
What cyclists are asking for is minimal:
An alternative route to be added early in 2008. Bicycle lanes are planned for 9th Ave N, but the city wants to postpone adding them until late 2008 or early 2009 when construction on Paul Allen's buildings in that area is complete.
Caution signs (like those in Portland) indicating that cyclists should exercise caution around the tracks and that motorists should give cyclists a few more feet of maneuvering room so they can avoid the tracks.
Where the tracks are in the right lane, sharrows should be installed in the left lane to remind cyclists and motorists of the safest place for cyclists to ride.
That Seattle Department of Transportation will consult with Portland Department of Transportation, learn from Portland's experience, and adopt guidelines that consider cyclists when installing future sets of tracks in roadways.
For a feasibility study of rubber track filler that could be installed to compress under the trolley wheels while being rigid enough to prevent bicycle wheels from being trapped in the tracks.
Providing cyclists with safety measures along Westlake Ave N ensures that the viability of mass transit as well as pedal-powered transportation can co-exist, giving the people of Seattle the opportunity to choose the method right for them, and thus reducing overall motor vehicle traffic and keeping our city green and thriving.
The possibility that cyclists will be seriously injured or killed before warning signs, track filler, or alternate routes are in place on Westlake Ave N is of great concern, and has already been demonstrated by the number of cyclists injured along the tracks in recent months.
Can't ride? Please take the time to email or call the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Seattle City Council, Mayor Nickels, Vulcan Inc, and the South Lake Union Neighborhood Association. You can also help by putting up posters, flyering, or simply talking about this issue with your friends and acquaintances, and encourage them to do the same.
Thus far we have been unable to accumulate a firm count of how many bicycle accidents have occurred on the S.L.U.T. tracks, but as of today we have received quite a few frightening accounts, and we continue to collect your stories and supply them to SDOT as well as the Bicycle Advisory Board.
Thank you for your continued support and please continue to ride safely,
the SeattleLikesBikes.org crew