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improving lives throughbicycling

January 2015 / Vol. 45 No. 01 • cascade.org

All of us here at Cascade would like to wish you a very happy new year. As we look at the year ahead of us, we are super excited. And we hope you are, too.

For starters, we have a fantastic season lined up for you, with new and improved on- and off-the-bike events, which will make 2015 our best year yet. (More on that on the right.)

And, we have moved into our beautiful new space! A big thank you to everyone who braved the cold weather in December and generously lent their hands and wheels to haul us into our new space—by bike. While it is not finished, we couldn’t be more giddy and honored to welcome y’all into your new Cascade Bicycling Center.

Please come visit us! The Cascade Bicycle Center is just off the Burke-Gilman Trail at 7787 62nd Avenue NE. Friendly Cascade staff and a hot cup of coffee (or tea) awaits you!

Happy new year from Cascade! 2015 will be our best season yet!By Anne-Marije Rook, Communications Director

Ride for Major TaylorIn the spring, we’ll host a fund-

raising ride for the Major Taylor Project. Scheduled for Saturday, April 18, the ride will visit the welcoming communities and busi-nesses of south Seattle, while raising funds to increase access and oppor-tunities for high school youth from diverse and underserved communi-ties to experience and connect with the outdoors. Urban rides

Due to the overwhelming popu-larity of our Seattle Bike-n-Brews rides, we’ll continue in 2015 with three urban riding events that fea-ture mostly flat and shorter distance route options, and local brew desti-nations. Details to be announced in the spring.Club apparel

We’re excited to present to you our new Club kits, available for sale online at www.cbcmerchandise.com and at most of our event finish line booths. Cascade Season Pass

For the first time, Cascade is of-fering a Cascade Season Pass, the ultimate rider package for active Cascade members.

The Cascade Season Pass includes an annual individual Cascade mem-bership, a newly designed Cascade Bicycle Club jersey and guaranteed entry into 10 major rides.

As a premium add-on (starting at $100), riders can select to have ei-ther a one- or two-digit bib number for all events. Numbers are available

on a first come, first served basis. Number 1 is not available.

The pass is only available until Wednesday, Feb. 18, so visit cas-cade.org/seasonpass to buy one to-day!

An even better Group Health STPWe’re excited to welcome back

Group Heath as our title sponsor of the Group Health STP! This year, we're excited to announce that a new route segment will take rid-ers through Joint Base Lewis-Mc-Chord. Once inside the base, riders will not only enjoy comfortable, low-car roads; the military will also display various military vehicles for a unique inside-look.

In addition, with Group Health’s renewed support, riders will receive a "Finisher" apparel item of their choosing (T-shirt, hat, etc.) at the finish line in Portland. And to top it all off, riders will receive a free meal at the finish line festival in Portland. We believe these changes will pro-vide a much improved overall rider experience, and we look forward to riding with you all! Registration dates

Registration for Kitsap Color Classic and the High Pass Challenge will open in April. Please check the website for new events coming in the spring and summer of 2015. Is your membership current?

Make sure your Cascade mem-bership is current or renew today at www.cascade.org/join.

Event Event date Member registration Date General registration Date

Bike Swap February 8 Open OpenCascade Training Series Feb. – Jul. Jan. 6, 10 a.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m.Chilly Hilly February 22 Jan. 6, 10 a.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m.Flying Wheels May 30 Jan. 6, 10 a.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m.Red-Bell 100 June 27 Jan. 6, 10 a.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m.Group Health STP Classic July 11-12 Jan. 13, 10 a.m. Feb. 10, 10 a.m.Ride Around Washington August 1 - 8 Jan. 6, 10 a.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m.RSVP1 August 14-15 Jan. 20, 10 a.m. Feb. 17, 10 a.m.RSVP2 August 15-16 Jan. 27, 10 a.m. Feb.24, 10 a.m.Club Tours Various Dec. 9 / Jan. 6, 10 a.m. Feb. 3, 10 a.m.

Registration Dates for 2015 Cascade Major Rides

Riders ready? We have an incredible series of rides and off-bike events planned to make 2015 our best season yet, and we hope you’ll join us!

For limited time onlyTHE CASCADE SEASON PASS

– Cascade Staff

The Cascade Season Passincludes a club jersey, guarenteed entry into 10 major rides, and a Cascade membership

www.cascade.org/seasonpass

Cascade staff at the club holiday party

New this year!

Here’s what we’re doing in the

Puget Sound region pg. 6

www.cascade.org

January 2015

2

Traffic Gardens GaloreBy Elizabeth Kiker, Executive Director

In 2012, I had been working at the League of American Bicyclists for about six years when my husband and I were invited to a meeting about a park that was going to be constructed three houses down the street from ours, next to the bike trail that runs throughout Northern Virginia.

A few neighbors and I talked in advance of the meeting about what we’d like to see as a park. With sudden clarity, we realized we needed a bike park. We lived on the top of a very steep hill, and teaching our kids to ride bikes was a frustrating experience. You could either, as a colleague of mine did, take the pedals off the bike and let the child coast, only to realize they were going too fast for you to run after (he did catch his daughter before any harm befell her); or you could dodge cars in a parking lot after hours. Neither were ideal.

What we wanted was a traffic garden: a loop with traffic signs and a play space in the middle, where parents could teach children to ride. We added air pumps, water fountains and park benches where all cy-clists on the trail could rest and meet up with friends—as well as some clear signs saying SLOW, CHILDREN AT PLAY to separate the kids’ loop from the regular trail—and ta da! A park took shape.

Learning how to do local advocacy was a great experience for me. Working with county employees, visiting other neighborhood associa-tions to present the drawings and negotiating how the finished park would include local plants and recycle water was fun and fascinating. And just last month, I heard from several former neighbors that con-struction will begin in early 2015.

We live in Seattle now, a bit too far away to teach our children to ride in it, but I’m still thrilled to have worked on it. And, in great news for our region, Cascade’s new Bicycling Center will feature a traf-fic garden of our own. This garden will be where generations of Puget Sound children can come to learn to ride, interact with other modes of transportation and maybe even enjoy some hot chocolate.

Speaking of which: we’re moved in (30 volunteers helped us move by bike on Nov. 30!), the coffee machine is plugged in and we’re or-dering couches for the member and visitor center, which will also have bicycling maps, books and routes. Please stop by! We’re right off the Burke-Gilman Trail at 7787 NE 62nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98115.

Thanks for all of the local advocacy you do on behalf of bicycling in this region. You are improving lives through bicycling, and I am so excited thinking of all that we will accomplish together in 2015.

Best,

P.S. In my board thank-you last month in this space, I left off Joe Platzner who should have been in first place. He kept us going with style in difficult times, Stepping in and working hard – forgetting him was a crime!

Looking for a great deal on a new bike, components or a vintage jer-sey? Then check out Cascade’s an-nual Seattle Bike Swap!

The Seattle Bike Swap is a bargain hunter’s paradise. This huge bike garage sale will have more than 100 vendors with great deals on new and used bike-related goods. This sale is one day only, so don’t miss it!

Adult admission is just $5 and kids 15 and under are free all day. To get a head start on the bargains, an Early Entry ticket is available for $20. Sellers:

Have a bunch of cycling gear you’d like to sell at the Swap? There are still a few vendor spaces left. Contact Stacey at [email protected] for more info.

Great deals at the 2015 Seattle Bike Swap! By Stacey Nakagawa, Events & Sponsorship Coordinator

Sunday, Feb. 8 • 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 225 Mercer St.

Consignment:If you have a complete bike you

want to sell, but don’t want to rent a sellers space, we do offer consign-ment. We will try to sell your bike for you for a fee ($10 plus 10 per-cent of the selling price). Bikes are priced to move and all proceeds benefit the Major Taylor Project. Donation:

Have a used bike you no longer need and want to support a great cause? You can donate used bikes to the Major Taylor Project to ensure kids from all backgrounds have ac-cess to bicycling. (Don’t worry, we’ll take care of any repairs.) For more info, visit www.cascade.org/bike-swap or email Stacey Nakagawa at [email protected].

Pictured is an example of a traffic garden in the Netherlands

Improving Lives Through Bicycling

Vol. 45, No. 01

3

Traveling by bicycle to Sea-Tac Airport? A number of new facilities are open for business to help sup-port the boom in bicycle travel and tourism in Washington. These in-clude an indoor repair station with tools, more storage options, and a bicycle resources webpage.

The additions represent an im-pressive first step of a larger initia-tive by Sea-Tac to promote bike ac-cess. Washington recently ranked as the number one bike-friendly state in the US according to the League of American Bicyclists.

As a leader in sustainability, Sea-Tac is always looking for opportu-nities to reduce its environmental footprint and make traveling easier. In March 2013 when University of Washington Evans School of Pub-lic Affairs professor, Daniel Carl-son, had ideas to make bike travel easier, Sea-Tac’s sustainability team listened.

This sparked collaboration among the Port of Seattle, Cascade Bicycle Club, Washington Bikes, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and a Univer-sity of Washington graduate studio project, which culminated in a draft “Seattle-Tacoma International Air-port Bicycle Facilities Plan.”

Sea-Tac Environmental Special-ist Steven Rybolt and a team of students led by Urban Design and Planning professor, Alon Bassok, set goals, objectives, and actions to transform Sea-Tac with world-class bicycle facilities and amenities over the next 10 years.

So if you’re traveling with a bicy-cle to Sea-Tac Airport, look for the following new features to support

A boom in bike access at Sea-Tac airportBy Andrea Clinkscales, Principal Planner

your next big adventure:• Located in Baggage Claim, a re-

pair station that includes a work stand, tools and floor pump to fix, assemble or dissemble a bike.

• Near the repair area is Ken’s Bag-gage and Frozen Foods where bike boxes are available for pack-ing.

• New indoor long-term bike storage options and new secure, no-scratch, and locally made short-term bike racks inside and outside the terminal.

• More visible wayfinding signs to help cyclists locate bike ame-nities, including those between Baggage Claim and the Link light rail Sea-Tac Airport Sta-tion.

• A bicycle resources page on the Port of Seattle website that in-cludes current bike routes and map of bike facilities.

Cascade is thrilled to see these improvements. We look forward to details on improved access and an ongoing collaborative effort for more bike amenities at Sea-Tac.

The Airport is continually seek-ing feedback to improve its bicycle amenities and access. Please contact Steven Rybolt ([email protected]) with questions/comments.

In the meantime, we would like to extend our thanks to our part-ners; Port of Seattle, University of Washington and Washington Bikes. Together we can make Washington the most bike-friendly state.

Checking out the new bicycle amenities in Baggage Claim.(Left to Right) Daniel Carlson, University of Washington • Jeff Aken, Cascade • Andrea Clinkscales, Cascade • Steve Rybolt, Port of Seattle

Willie Weir is back!Our 2015 Presentation Series kicks off at the Cascade Bicycling Center on Jan. 8 with a presentation from renowned Seattle bike tourer, writer and all-around entertainer, Willie Weir.

City Limits: Three Unique Approaches To Bike TravelAn Evening With Willie Weir

Thursday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.Cascade Bicycling Center, 7787 62nd Ave NE

www.cascade.org/willie-weir

www.cascade.org4

December 2014

Editorial Assistants: Diane English and Briana Orr

Editor: Anne-Marije Rook

Layout: Tom Eibling

Contributors: January contributors: Andrea Clinkscales, Mary Collins,

Elizabeth Kiker, Shannon Koller, Sarah Lounsbury, Deborah Munkberg, Stacey

Nakagawa, Briana Orr, Anne-Marije Rook, Peter Verbrugge, Stacey Williams,

Tarrell Wright

THE COURIER CREW

We welcome your contributions!

Got an inspiring story or a great pho-to? We welcome submissions. The edi-torial calendar is planned one month in advance. If you wish to contribute an article to a future issue, contact the editor as early as possible. Articles and photographic submissions are due by the 10th of the month prior to publica-tion. Articles submitted after that will be considered on a space-available ba-sis. All submissions are subject to edit-ing for content and space.

Queries can be emailed to: [email protected].

Advertising:

We welcome ads and inserts. To check availability and inquire about prices, please contact Briana Orr at [email protected].

Let’s be social! Follow Cascadeon Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

CONTACT US

Cascade Bicycle Club

7787 62nd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115

www.cascade.orgOffice phone: 206-522-3222

Email: [email protected]

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNote: All email addresses are @cascade.org

PresidentCharles Ruthford • charles.ruthford@

Vice PresidentDaniel Weise • daniel.weise@TreasurerDon Volta • don.volta@SecretaryGeorge Durham • george.durham@ Executive Committee Member-at-largeCatherine Hennings • catherine.hennings@ Directors

Nate Glissmeyer • nate.glissmeyer@

Joe Platzner • joe.platzner@

Merlin Rainwater • merlin.rainwater@

Jim Stanton • jim.stanton@

Jessica Szelag • Jessica.szelag@

Alexa Volwiler • alexa.volwiler@

Ed Yoshida • ed.yoshida@

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORElizabeth Kiker • (206) 523-9495 or elizabeth.kiker@

SENIOR STAFFJeff Aken, Advocacy Director(206) 300-5932 • jeffa@

David Douglas, Rec. Riding Director(206) 769-6575 • davidd@

Ed Ewing, Director of Diversity & Inclusion(206) 778-4671 • ede@

Shannon Koller, Director of Education(206) 696-4425 • shannonk@

Serena Lehman, Director of Membership & Outreach(206) 291-4032 • serenal@

Kathy Mania, Finance Director(206) 498-2607 • kathym@

Robbie Phillips, Director of Strategic Development(206) 229-5187 • robbiep@

Anne-Marije Rook, Communications Director(208) 870-9406 • amrook@

Tarrell Wright, Development Director(206) 240-2235 • tarrell.wright@

@cascadebicycle

@cascadebicycle

cascade.org

facebook.com/cascadebicycleclub

Help us transform the Puget Sound! Renew now at cascade.org/renew

The Winter CommuteBy Sarah Lounsbury, Youth Programs Assistant

Slow and sweetBy Mary Collins, Outreach Manager

Winter is a time for slowing down: animals hibernate, plants go dormant and humans watch more Netflix. So why not embrace the spirit of the season and ride a little slower this winter?

During this season of long nights and cold, wet weather, please con-sider taking it slow when you’re rid-ing. Give yourself five extra minutes to get where you’re going, ride at a more leisurely pace and round corners gingerly.

You might find that your ride feels safer and more relaxed, without dimin-ishing the exhilaration of getting around by bike.

Also, take extra care when riding over leaves, metal or road paint as these surfaces can be slippery when wet.Need more tips for rainy riding? Check out our six tips for riding in the rain: cascade.org/riding-in-the-rain

I wake up for the morning commute,slowly coming to the realization that it’s winter in Seattle.Layering myself in thoughts and clothing,I pick up my bike and head out the door.

Riding by parked cars as they slowly defrost,I appreciate the simplicity of pedaling up hills and down trails,even when my route is frozen leafed, snow patched and cold.

I keep on pedaling,embracing the crisp air as the cars drive bywith their windows sealed.While they zoom by,I tune into my morning commute,riding slowly on the trailat that wintertime kind of speed.

Passing by people as I pedal down the trail, I know my destination is near.Upon arriving, and much too warm,I tell myself less is more.But I know my commute later will be much differentsince the sun sets at half past four.

The day is over, it’s time to go.Here’s where the nighttime commute begins.Feeling the withdrawal from coffee,since switching to hot chocolate in mid-afternoon,I know I have to get home soon.

Lights turned on,I begin on my journey and start singing as I ride down the road.In the darkness of a lonely trail,I sing past trees and know if one fallsit might actually make a sound.

Pedaling in boots on a well-trodden path,I begin to appreciate the wintertime commute.Although a few bumps make me momentarily unsteady,I keep riding on my regular route.

Towards the end of my commute,feeling invigorated,I politely pass a manas I ride up that one big hill.

One last pedal stroke,the bike commute completeI carry my bike into my home,And I make myself something warm to eat.


Vol. 45, No. 01

5

Empowering the kids bike movement: introducing the 2015 Community Leader Training SeriesBy Shannon Koller, Education Director

Buh-Bye Party Vanby Tarrell Wright, Development Director

Biking to school in a bike train is fun and rewarding.

Are you a parent or teacher with a passion for active transportation? Are you looking for a launching pad for your ideas and resources to make them happen? Come learn from experienced community leaders about what it takes to start a Bike to School program or a walking school bus. Cascade, Washington Bikes and Feet First have joined forces once again to share in-formation about bike trains to school, walking school buses, Bike to School Month, funding resources and more. New Bike to School programs will receive a starter kit, banner for Bike to School Month and a Cascade rep at your school on Bike to School Day.

You may have seen us driving around in the van or “the party van” as it came to be called. Dark green and emblazoned with cartoons of kids on bikes, the party van always brought smiles when we drove up to a school. The van has served us well these past several years, but it has become rickety and unsafe, and fixing it would cost more than replacing it.

Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t be worse.The party van supports our Basics of Bicycling programs as well as the Major Taylor Project, transporting our combined bike fleet of 500 bikes all over the Puget Sound region and serving almost 18,000 kids each year.

And in the coming years, our plan is to double the number of kids we reach.We need to raise $40,000 to purchase two lightly used vans in the coming year to make our work possible.

Please consider a donation to the Bike Vans for Kids campaign and help us raise $40,000 by March 2015. Your donation will allow us to spread the joy of bicycling to more kids in our community.

Give online at www.cascade.org/bikevans or send your check to:

Our Youth Programs Assistant, Sarah Lounsbury, unsuccessfully attempts to jump our Party Van.

Build your confidence biking on the road with experienced instructors and other adult learners. Whether you are looking to eventually lead bike trains or become an after-school cycling instructor, you’ll gain a solid introduction on rules of the road and have plenty of practice riding. This is an eight-hour on- and off-the-bike group class. Both sessions required

Bike rodeos and bike trains are two of the many ways to build student excitement around biking. Both activities incorporate bike safety education and encourage healthy and active lifestyles. Get a head start planning for Bike to School Month in May (and beyond) by learning what it takes to put on a bike rodeo community event and lead a bike train to school.

Urban Cycling TechniquesThursday, Feb.19 • 6-9 p.m.

and Saturday, Feb. 21 • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Cascade Bicycling Center

Bike Rodeo and Bike Train trainingSaturday, March 28 • 10 a.m. - noon

Cascade Bicycling Center

League Cycling Instructor SeminarFriday, Aug. 28 - Sunday, Aug. 30


Start a Bike or Walk to School ProgramSaturday, Jan. 31 • 10-11:30 a.m.


Biking anywhere with a group of kids is fun and rewarding. In this on- and off-the-bike training for adults, you’ll learn how to organize a bike train and gain important tips for riding with kids. We’ll talk waivers, routes, safety, education, encouragement and more! For adults only

Hop on the Bike Train: How to start a bike to school train and ride with kids Saturday, Feb. 28 • 10 a.m. - noon

Highland Park Elementary, 1012 SW Trenton St, West Seattle

Interested in becoming a certified cycling instructor for kids and adults in your community? Attend a League of American Bicyclists seminar in Seattle this summer, hosted by Cascade Bicycle Club.

To RSVP for any of these events, contact Khatsini at [email protected].

Bike Vans for KidsCascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation

7787 62nd Ave NESeattle, WA 98115

www.cascade.org

January 2015

6

Connecting Puget SoundBy Cascade Advocacy Department

Now is an amazing time to be a bike advocate in the Puget Sound region. �anks to thousands of community advocates, we have momentum everywhere! People are speaking out in favor of projects that transform our region into an amazing place to live, work and play. Here is a snapshot of projects from 2014 and what we’re working on in 2015.

2015 Elections Who makes decisions has a big impact on how much bike infrastruc-ture gets built. 2015 is an odd-num-bered year, which means across the region candidates will be running for county and city councils. Seattle will be especially important, with the city’s first election with seven new city council districts and a likely vote on a city transportation levy.

Southeast SeattleCascade’s Advocacy Leadership Institute’s students worked with Rainier Valley Greenways and Bike Works to make a north-south greenway a reality in Southeast Seattle in 2015. We’re also support-ing SDOT’s Rainier Avenue Traffic Safety Corridor Project to slow traffic speeds and make this street safer for all users. These projects will lay the groundwork for protect-ed bike lanes on Rainier Ave. and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

East Lake Sammamish Trail Sammamish residents are making their voices heard and propelling forward construction of the East Lake Sammamish Trail. Outreach efforts generated more than 125 letters to Sammamish City Coun-cil in support of a permit that will enable King County to finish paving the interim trail over the next two years.

Eastside Advocacy Boot Camp Cascade is hosting an Eastside Advocacy Boot Camp on Thursday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 24 to train community members on how to develop campaigns, tell compelling stories, work with elected officials and much more. Our Eastside advocates will then be well-equipped to work on projects like the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail, Eastside Rail Corridor, bike lanes in Bellevue and better wayfinding all over the Eastside.

Kirkland GreenwaysKirkland Greenways and Cascade have been working with the city of Kirkland throughout the updating process of their Transportation Master Plan. We're supporting the city in developing policies around Vision Zero to make bicycling and walking safe, fun and accessible to all ages and abilities.

Connect Portage Bay As a coalition effort with several greenways groups, Cascade’s Connect Portage Bay cam-paign advocates for all ages and abilities bike-ways as part of the 23rd Avenue Transit Corridor Project and the SR 520 Bridge Replacement Project.

West Seattle Bike ConnectionsFounded by Cascade ALI alumni, WSBC advocates for better bicycling in West Seattle. In 2014, Cas-cade helped increase the number of WSBC team members and held a joint happy hour. We’re looking forward to growing the partner-ship in the new year.

Connect DowntownWith significant funding dedicated, the city of Seattle will start designing a complete network of protected bike lanes in downtown. After organizing four bike business blitzes, collecting hundreds of postcards and serving as ambassa-dors to the grand opening of the Second Avenue Protected Bike Lane in 2014, the Con-nect Downtown team will continue to build business and public support in 2015 for this truly transformative network.

Connect Westlake Another exciting project is the Westlake Protect-ed Bike Lane, which will run along the shore of one of Seattle’s crown jewels, Lake Union. This much needed improvement will create separat-ed spaces for people walking, riding bikes, driving and parking. The Connect Westlake team has turned out hundreds of people to public open houses, created a postcard cam-paign (to be hand-delivered to Mayor Murray) and spent countless hours at design advisory committee meetings. The project remains on-schedule to be built in 2015!

Roosevelt Protected Bike Lane University Greenways and Cascade successful-ly persuaded SDOT to include a protected bike lane on the most dangerous stretch of Roos-evelt Avenue from NE 45th Street to the Univer-sity Bridge as part of a repaving project in 2015. Now we’re working to make sure the design of the protected bike lane is improved and extends north of NE 45th Street.

Connect NorthgateCascade is working to secure funding for a long-planned pedestrian and bicycle bridge across I-5, connecting North Seattle College directly to the future light rail station.

Connect Ballard The Connect Ballard team is focused on com-pleting the Burke-Gilman Trail and improving safety on the Ballard Bridge. The team is build-ing momentum through business engagement, video testimonials and a Missing Link crash sign.

South Snohomish CountyWith generous support of the Verdant Health Commission, Cascade hosted policy work-shops for elected officials, planners and neigh-borhood leaders in South Snohomish County. Cascade also led a bikeability audit looking at connections between Kenmore, Brier and Mountlake Terrace to complement the 2013 audits in Edmonds and Lynnwood. We look forward to continuing this regional work and implementing the BikeLink grant.

Connect Kenmore for SafetyIn the wake of Caleb Shoop's death last March, Kenmore residents, with Cascade's help, start-ed a "Connect Kenmore for Safety" group that successfully advocated for the Kenmore City Council to adopt a Vision Zero goal and add a pedestrian plan to the city's 2013 bike strategy.


Vol. 45, No. 01

7

Connecting Puget SoundBy Cascade Advocacy Department

Now is an amazing time to be a bike advocate in the Puget Sound region. �anks to thousands of community advocates, we have momentum everywhere! People are speaking out in favor of projects that transform our region into an amazing place to live, work and play. Here is a snapshot of projects from 2014 and what we’re working on in 2015.

2015 Elections Who makes decisions has a big impact on how much bike infrastruc-ture gets built. 2015 is an odd-num-bered year, which means across the region candidates will be running for county and city councils. Seattle will be especially important, with the city’s first election with seven new city council districts and a likely vote on a city transportation levy.

Southeast SeattleCascade’s Advocacy Leadership Institute’s students worked with Rainier Valley Greenways and Bike Works to make a north-south greenway a reality in Southeast Seattle in 2015. We’re also support-ing SDOT’s Rainier Avenue Traffic Safety Corridor Project to slow traffic speeds and make this street safer for all users. These projects will lay the groundwork for protect-ed bike lanes on Rainier Ave. and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

East Lake Sammamish Trail Sammamish residents are making their voices heard and propelling forward construction of the East Lake Sammamish Trail. Outreach efforts generated more than 125 letters to Sammamish City Coun-cil in support of a permit that will enable King County to finish paving the interim trail over the next two years.

Eastside Advocacy Boot Camp Cascade is hosting an Eastside Advocacy Boot Camp on Thursday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 24 to train community members on how to develop campaigns, tell compelling stories, work with elected officials and much more. Our Eastside advocates will then be well-equipped to work on projects like the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail, Eastside Rail Corridor, bike lanes in Bellevue and better wayfinding all over the Eastside.

Kirkland GreenwaysKirkland Greenways and Cascade have been working with the city of Kirkland throughout the updating process of their Transportation Master Plan. We're supporting the city in developing policies around Vision Zero to make bicycling and walking safe, fun and accessible to all ages and abilities.

Connect Portage Bay As a coalition effort with several greenways groups, Cascade’s Connect Portage Bay cam-paign advocates for all ages and abilities bike-ways as part of the 23rd Avenue Transit Corridor Project and the SR 520 Bridge Replacement Project.

West Seattle Bike ConnectionsFounded by Cascade ALI alumni, WSBC advocates for better bicycling in West Seattle. In 2014, Cas-cade helped increase the number of WSBC team members and held a joint happy hour. We’re looking forward to growing the partner-ship in the new year.

Connect DowntownWith significant funding dedicated, the city of Seattle will start designing a complete network of protected bike lanes in downtown. After organizing four bike business blitzes, collecting hundreds of postcards and serving as ambassa-dors to the grand opening of the Second Avenue Protected Bike Lane in 2014, the Con-nect Downtown team will continue to build business and public support in 2015 for this truly transformative network.

Connect Westlake Another exciting project is the Westlake Protect-ed Bike Lane, which will run along the shore of one of Seattle’s crown jewels, Lake Union. This much needed improvement will create separat-ed spaces for people walking, riding bikes, driving and parking. The Connect Westlake team has turned out hundreds of people to public open houses, created a postcard cam-paign (to be hand-delivered to Mayor Murray) and spent countless hours at design advisory committee meetings. The project remains on-schedule to be built in 2015!

Roosevelt Protected Bike Lane University Greenways and Cascade successful-ly persuaded SDOT to include a protected bike lane on the most dangerous stretch of Roos-evelt Avenue from NE 45th Street to the Univer-sity Bridge as part of a repaving project in 2015. Now we’re working to make sure the design of the protected bike lane is improved and extends north of NE 45th Street.

Connect NorthgateCascade is working to secure funding for a long-planned pedestrian and bicycle bridge across I-5, connecting North Seattle College directly to the future light rail station.

Connect Ballard The Connect Ballard team is focused on com-pleting the Burke-Gilman Trail and improving safety on the Ballard Bridge. The team is build-ing momentum through business engagement, video testimonials and a Missing Link crash sign.

South Snohomish CountyWith generous support of the Verdant Health Commission, Cascade hosted policy work-shops for elected officials, planners and neigh-borhood leaders in South Snohomish County. Cascade also led a bikeability audit looking at connections between Kenmore, Brier and Mountlake Terrace to complement the 2013 audits in Edmonds and Lynnwood. We look forward to continuing this regional work and implementing the BikeLink grant.

Connect Kenmore for SafetyIn the wake of Caleb Shoop's death last March, Kenmore residents, with Cascade's help, start-ed a "Connect Kenmore for Safety" group that successfully advocated for the Kenmore City Council to adopt a Vision Zero goal and add a pedestrian plan to the city's 2013 bike strategy.

To get involved with one of our Connect Puget Sound teams, Eastside Advocacy Boot Camp or to start a team of your own, contact Kelli at [email protected].

www.cascade.org

January 2015

8

Are you new to bicycling or been off your bike for a while? Is 2015 your year to get active on your bike and maybe tackle your first Group Health STP or RSVP ride? If you answered yes, then we have a special ride series designed just for you!

The 2015 Getting Ready to Ride Series (GR2R) is an early season, eight-week progressive series that begins with a very doable first ride and adds a little mileage and elevation gain each week.

The GR2R series will help you:• increase endurance;• build hill climbing skills;• grow friends in the community;• find mentors to help you through the Group Health STP and onward;• learn how to ride safely in a group; and • get ready for the Cascade Training Series.

FreeGR2R rides are free and available to any rider. You will ride with others who

share your pace level and enthusiasm for cycling. Rides are led by Cascade ride leaders, experienced volunteers who know the routes and are trained in bicycle safety.

RoutesRoutes are designed for new riders and progress in distance and elevation

gain over the series. Two paces will be offered: a leisurely pace at 10-12 mph and a steady pace at 12-14 mph on the flats. GR2R has three starting loca-tions each week: one in Seattle, one in east King County and one in south King County.

Mark your calendar!GR2R rides are on weekends, kicking off on Saturday, Jan. 31 and wrapping

up on Sunday, March 22. East King County and Seattle rides will be on Satur-days, and south King County rides on Sundays. All rides will start at 11 a.m.

Come preparedParticipating riders will be required to wear a helmet, sign a liability waiver

and have their bikes in good working order with fenders. Remember that these are winter rides, so you’ll need warm, rain-resistant clothing. Bring wa-ter or a sports drink and a snack for refueling.

Please visit cascade.org/ride/free-daily-rides to find ride announcements and more information, or email Stacey at [email protected].

Getting Ready to Ride in 2015By Deborah Munkberg, Cascade Ride Leader

New ride support team is looking for a few good folks!By Peter Verbrugge, Event Producer

For the 2015 ride season, Cascade will have a new group of volunteers to provide support for riders on all Cascade event rides: “The Outrid-ers” event support team.

Named after the ride escorts of the Wild West, The Outriders will serve the Club on events such as the Chilly Hilly, Group Health STP and Flying Wheels. The Outriders will provide real-time information to event staff about road conditions, help riders with fixing flats and get wayward cyclists back on course.

We are looking for volunteers to join the team!

If you are an experienced cyclist who has ridden the big Cascade events and you’re willing to lend a helping hand while representing Cascade, we want you.

You should be comfortable help-ing others, committed to the welfare and enjoyment of others and have good knowledge of Cascade Bicycle Club and its programs.

All types of riders are welcome, but you must be an active Cascade member and commit to riding at least three of the events as an Outrider. All volunteers will gain complimentary passes to events they ride.

We will have a fun Saturday training meeting on Saturday, Feb. 7 for all interested parties. This meeting will include an overview of the program, basic first aid and a mentor match-up.For more information please email us at [email protected].

Got flat fixing skills?

Ride into a new you. The 2015 Getting Ready to Ride Series kicks off Saturday, Jan. 31

Outriders Orientation Saturday, Feb. 7 • 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.


On Saturday, Jan. 31, caring neighbors will come together from across the city to set the priorities for Cascade’s grassroots efforts in 2015, from bikeway projects like the Missing Link and Center City Protected Bike Lane Network to election efforts of passing a transportation levy and electing pro-bike city council candidates. Learn more and RSVP at connectseattle.org.

Connect Seattle SummitBy Brock Howell, Policy and Government Affairs Manager

Improving Lives Through Bicycling 9

Vol. 44, No. 12

EASY PACE (UNDER 10 mph)

Saturday, Jan. 31SLOW Ride with Senior Ladies On Wheels 11 a.m. 8 miles from the Northwest African American Museum, Seattle • Ride Leader: Merlin Rainwater

LEISURELY PACE (10-12 mph)

Friday, Jan. 9FRIDAY RIDERS: Bike Queen Anne and Magnolia10 a.m. 24 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: William Lemke

Friday, Jan. 23FRIDAY RIDERS: Go to Second Use10 a.m. 25 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Norm Tjaden

Friday, Jan. 30FRIDAY RIDERS: Roads and Trails Winter Start11 a.m. 25 miles from Log Boom Park/Tracy Owen Station, Kenmore • Ride Leader: Jan Johnson

STEADY PACE (12-14 mph)

Thursday, Jan. 1Kick Off the New Year Right Ride - 2015 Edition9:30 a.m. 28 miles from Marina Park, Kirk-land • Ride Leader: Alan Miller

Saturday, Jan. 3CHEW - South End Ride #1 10 a.m. 33 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way Ride • Leaders: Judy Auten, Barb Gil-ger, Jeanette Kearney, Cheryl Stoddard, and Patricia Urton

Sunday, Jan. 4CHEW - Eastside Ride #1 10 a.m. 30 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Scott Blachowicz, Joni Griffis and Alexa Vol-wiler

Saturday, Jan. 10CHEW - South End Ride #2 10 a.m. 36 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way • Ride Leaders: Judy Auten, Barb Gilger, Jeanette Kearney, Cheryl Stoddard and Patricia Urton

Sunday, Jan. 11CHEW - Eastside Ride #2 10 a.m. 35 miles from South Bellevue Park & Ride, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: Lee Gustafson, John Mullins and Alexa Volwiler

Saturday, Jan. 17Saturday Morning Rides in Snohomish County9:30 a.m. 41 miles from Jennings Park, Marys-ville • Ride Leader: Andy Williams

Saturday, Jan. 17CHEW - South End Ride #310 a.m. 34 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way • Ride Leaders: Judy Auten, Barb Gilger, Jeanette Kearney, Cheryl Stoddard and Patricia Urton

Sunday, Jan. 18CHEW - Eastside Ride #310 a.m. 35 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Joni Griffis, Louise Johnson and Alexa Vol-wiler

FREE GROUP RIDES

Weather conditions may cancel the ride. Helmets are required on all rides. Earbuds/headphones are not allowed on any Cascade ride. All riders are required to sign a waiver

form. Children 16 and under must be accompanied by parent or guardian. Riders are expected to be ready to ride at the time listed. Participants do not have to RSVP, simply show up to join the fun!

This is a sampling of this month’s rides.For a complete listing, see cascade.org/calendar.

For full details of the listed rides, see cascade.org/grouprides. This is also where you’ll find ride guidelines to help you select

a ride that suits your style, skills and energy level.

On Twitter? Or Instagram? Tag your post with

#grouprides


Sunday, Jan. 25CHEW - Eastside Ride #49:30 a.m. 40 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Joni Griffis, John Mullins and Alexa Volwiler


MODERATE PACE (14-16 mph)

Thursday, Jan. 12015 Kick Off the New Year Right Ride9:30 a.m. 28 miles from Kirkland Marina Park, Kirkland • Ride Leader: Sandi Navarro

Saturday, Jan. 3Saturday Morning Rides in Snohomish County9:30 a.m. 37 miles from Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, Mukilteo • Ride Leaders: Larry DeBardi, Dorothé Reijnders

Saturday, Jan. 3CHEW - South End Ride #110 a.m. 33 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way • Ride Leaders: Jonathan Griffin, Geoffrey Jackson, Susan Krezelak and Rick Urton

Sunday, Jan. 4CHEW - Eastside Ride #110 a.m. 30 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: David Fisher, Nan Haberman, Rob Latino and Alexa Volwiler

Saturday, Jan. 10Saturday Morning Rides in Snohomish County9:30 a.m. 41 miles from Lake Tye Park, Mon-roe • Ride Leaders: Michael Cunanan and Larry DeBardi


Sunday, Jan. 11CHEW - Eastside Ride #210 a.m. 35 miles from South Bellevue Park & Ride, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: David Fisher, Alfred Fung, Nan Haberman and Alexa Vol-wiler

Saturday, Jan. 17Saturday Morning Rides in Snohomish County9:30 a.m. 41 miles from Jennings Park, Marys-ville • Ride Leaders: Michael Cunanan and Dorothé Reijnders

Saturday, January 17CHEW - South End Ride #310 a.m. 34 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way • Ride Leaders: Jonathan Griffin, Geoffrey Jackson, Susan Krezelak and Rick Urton

Sunday, Jan. 18CHEW - Eastside Ride #310 a.m. 35 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Rob Latino, Sandi Navarro, Joe Shih and Al-exa Volwiler


Sunday, Jan. 25CHEW - Eastside Ride #49:30 a.m. 40 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Paula Froke, Sandi Gold, Sandi Navarro and Alexa Volwiler

Saturday, Jan. 31Saturday Morning Rides in Snohomish County9:30 a.m. 43 miles from American Legion Me-morial Park, Everett • Ride Leaders: Michael Cunanan and Larry DeBardi


BRISK PACE (16-18 mph)

Thursday, Jan. 12015 Kick Off the New Year Right Ride9:30 a.m. 28 miles from Kirkland Marina Park, Kirkland • Ride Leader: Carl Wainwright

Saturday, Jan. 3CHEW - South End Ride # 110 a.m. 33 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way • Ride Leader: Tim Johnson

Sunday, Jan. 4CHEW - Eastside Ride #110 a.m. 30 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: James Coliz, Wilfried Mack and Alexa Vol-wiler

Monday, Jan. 5MUMPS: Do The Lake10 a.m. 50 miles from Tracy Owen Station/Log Boom Park, Kenmore • Ride Leader: Craig Mohn

Saturday, Jan. 10CHEW - South End Ride #210 a.m. 36 miles from Celebration Park, Fed-eral Way • Ride Leaders: Tim Johnson and Kyle Lindvall

Sunday, Jan. 11CHEW - Eastside Ride #210 a.m. 35 miles from South Bellevue Park & Ride, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: Rich Knox, Joe Shih, Alexa Volwiler and Carl Wainwright



Sunday, Jan. 18CHEW - Eastside Ride #310 a.m. 35 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Wilfried Mack, Tim Thomas and Alexa Vol-wiler



Sunday, Jan. 25CHEW - Eastside Ride #49:30 a.m. 40 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: James Coliz, Rich Knox, Alexa Volwiler and Carl Wainwright



VIGOROUS PACE (18-20 mph)

Sunday, Jan. 4CHEW - Eastside Ride #110 a.m. 30 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Timothy McCarthy, Alan Tagstrom and Alexa Volwiler

Sunday, Jan. 11CHEW - Eastside Ride #210 a.m. 35 miles from South Bellevue Park & Ride, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: Keith Hovda, Alan Tagstrom, Alexa Volwiler

Sunday, Jan. 18CHEW - Eastside Ride #310 a.m. 35 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Keith Hovda, Timothy McCarthy and Alexa Volwiler

Sunday, Jan. 25CHEW - Eastside Ride #49:30 a.m. 40 miles from Marymoor Park (East) Free Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Keith Hovda, Alan Tagstrom and Al-exa Volwiler

www.cascade.org

January 2015

10

Women Bike: cycling for weight lossBy Anne-Marije Rook, Communications Director

January is here. A new year, a blank slate and a new set of reso-lutions to (try to) stick to. I’m sure many of us have set a resolution around health and weight loss—the most common New Year’s resolu-tions for women and men alike.

While I personally believe that cy-cling should primarily be about joy, you can certainly use cycling to lose weight and gain fitness. Here are a few brief tips on how bicycling can help you meet your 2015 weight loss goals.

First things firstWrite down your goals.

Be realistic on how many pounds or body fat percentage you’d like to lose and how much bike time you’ll be able to fit in your schedule. Also, by cycling regularly, your body will gradually replace fat with muscle, which is more firm but also heavier than fat. Thus, setting a body fat percentage goal may be more effective than a flat weight loss or pant-size goal.Now how are you going to achieve this goal?

Write down where bike time is going to fit into your schedule, and who you’re going to ride with. Do you want to ride alone, with a (Cascade) group or do you already have a riding buddy? These are personal decisions but riding with a group or a buddy is not only a lot of fun, most people find it easier to stick to a training schedule that way, too. When are you going to ride?

Perhaps the easiest way to incorporate bicycling in your daily routine is to start bike commuting. This is a great option if you live within a reasonable distance from your work or school. Explore routes on the weekend, so you’ll know how long it will take you to get where you need to go, and what the safest options are.

If bike commuting simply isn’t (feasible) for you, identify if you’ll need to wake earlier to fit in a ride before work, make time in the evening or have time on the weekends to ride. Pencil it in and try to plan around your riding. (Cascade has free group rides every day of the week at various times. Check them out at cascade.org/calendar.)

Can’t motivate yourself to go out in the winter weather? Consider indoor cycling. Many gyms offer spin classes, which give you a solid workout for 45 minutes to an hour. Or invest in a bike trainer. With a bike trainer you can ride in the comfort of your own home while watching instructional videos, professional bike races for inspiration or reruns of your favorite TV show.

Now that you have a plan, stick to itThis is the hard part. One way to keep yourself motivated is to set interme-

diary goals. Where do you want to be in three months? How about six, eight, ten? Mark it on your calendar and measure your progress. And then, celebrate the successes—no matter how small!

Another way to get motivated is to sign up for a riding event. By signing up and paying an entry fee, you (and your wallet) are holding yourself ac-countable for progress. Pick an event that you’ve never done before or that was difficult before, and see how you’ve progressed by riding regularly. Again, celebrate the success along the way.

Tell your friends or family. Going public with your goals can help you stay

on track. Common friendly questions from those around you, like “how’s your training going?”, “how’s the riding?”, “did you get out on your bike this weekend?” can serve as a great motivational tool.

Cycling and dietFor best results, pair your new cycling habit with healthy eating habits.

Riding more will certainly increase your appetite but don’t negate the work you just did by stuffing yourself with empty calories. Eat nutrition-rich foods and add a little more lean protein into your diet. Protein keeps your hunger at bay, kickstarts your metabolism and helps your muscles recover.

I don’t believe in denying yourself all treats. So yes, enjoy the occasional beer, chocolate or pie. Just eat your green first, cookie later.

Diet off the bike, not on it. Be sure to eat and hydrate while riding. You will not get any fitter by starving yourself while exercising, nor will you enjoy yourself when you bonk 20 miles into your ride. Take a swig from your water bottle at least every 20 minutes and eat something every 15-20 miles. Once you’re home, be sure to eat a protein-filled snack or meal 20 to 30 minutes after your workout. My personal favorites are nonfat Greek yogurt and choco-late milk.

Comfort and joyAgain, for me, the joy of cycling comes above all. If you don’t enjoy it, don’t

do it!Don’t like commuting or urban riding? Get away from the city and try rid-

ing in the country or mountain biking. Also, invest in comfort. A good saddle, a bike fit and comfortable clothes

can improve your riding experience tremendously while also preventing inju-ries.

Slow and steadyIf you stick to healthy eating habits and increase the time you spend in the

saddle, you’ll likely see results quite quickly. Don’t be alarmed, however, when your weight loss slows or even plateaus. This is very common. Over time, your body will adjust to this norm and while your weight may stay the same, you will still see a change in your body as fat is being replaced with muscle. You will lean out in some areas while firming and toning other parts of your body.Good luck!

Thanks for the positive feedback to this column. I’m happy to help! Please continue to email me your questions at [email protected] and I’ll answer them anonymously.


Vol. 45, No. 01

11

Early members spotlight: Josh LehmanBy Briana Orr, Communications Specialist

In 1970 a small group of active bicy-clists gathered in a basement on Mer-cer Island. Little did these individuals know that they were going to change the future of bicycling in the Puget Sound region. Forty years later, the Cascade Bicycle Club is the largest bicycling organization of its kind in the U.S. with more than 16,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 38 staff. Here, we highlight a few of Cascade’s earliest members, hear how their in-volvement changed the course of their life and find out what they are up to to-day.

“I was pleased we got the thing off the ground,” Josh Lehman said of the Cascade Bicycle Club.

Lehman holds an honorary life-time membership to Cascade as one of our earliest members.

He first became involved in the Bicycle Action Committee, which in 1972 was the advocacy arm of Cascade. He says he wouldn’t call himself a founder by any means, though, as there were already about 100 people involved in Cascade at that time.

Lehman recalls the very moment that sparked his involvement: a ride with Mayor Wesley Ulman, where he also met Peggy and Chuck Stew-ard, who were then heavily involved in the BAC.

From that moment forward, Lehman says he became “very im-mersed” in the BAC and in advo-cating for bicycle infrastructure like the Burke-Gilman Trail.

He rode the first Chilly Hilly in 1973.

“It was 100 miles and it was MIS-ERABLE!” he exclaimed.

He also helped organize and rode the first STP in 1979, which was initially established as both a time-trial and a tour. Lehman loved bi-cycle touring.

Cascade was able to “bring to-gether the racing and touring world,” Lehman said, and it contin-ues to succeed in doing so.

Lehman’s resume is impressive.

He worked for SDOT from 1977-84; worked for the U.S. Cycling Center Administration gearing up for the LA Olympics between 1984-86; and then moved to U.S. Department of Transportation just in time to help implement land-mark transportation legislation, the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transpor-tation Efficiency Act (ISTEA, pro-nounced “ice tea”). ISTEA required every state to create a Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator position and provided funds for non-motor-ized transportation.

Lehman said being a part of ISTEA’s roll-out was “wonderful—it was very exciting.”

Since then, Lehman has spent 22 years as Massachusetts Depart-ment of Transportation’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator and Com-plete Streets Coordinator. He says Cascade prepared him for a life of politics, and even influenced his personal motto: “changing the pre-vailing paradigm.”

Although Lehman’s bicycle has been idle since 1991, he says he had a lot of good riding years and looks back on his time with Cascade and the Bicycle Action Committee fondly.

“The experience was very instruc-tive in terms of working with oth-ers in terms of realizing goals and dreams,” he says graciously. “I’m glad the organization is as strong as ever... all in all, I am extremely proud.”

Josh Lehman, early Cascade member, rode in the first Chilly Hilly and STP.

Seattle is the nation’s fastest growing “big” city. This means a lot of us are “newbies” and have a lot to learn. As I navigate Seattle’s roads by bike, foot, car and transit, I have a lot of ques-tions. And I imagine my fellow newbies out there probably do, too. I will share them here with you.

This month’s question: How do I navi-gate a traffic circle?

When I’m orbiting one of Se-attle’s 1,000+ traffic circles, each experience is different: one person tries to pass me as we enter the traf-fic circle, driving over the curb in the process; another driver yields to me as I nervously enter the circle; and I yield to another as they blast through at high speed.

I’ve even seen folks turning left in front of the traffic circle—not go-ing around at all!

These incongruencies have left me confused. What am I legally re-quired to do at a traffic circle when biking or driving? And are these really safer than a normal intersec-tion?

Wait, wait - what are we even talking about?!

Residential traffic circles, unlike a larger roundabout, feature a smaller circle in the middle of an intersec-tion and only allow for a single lane of traffic.

Newbie series: Navigating the Traffic circleBy Briana Orr, Communications Specialist

So how do we do this dance? Josh Miller, our classes and camps

coordinator at Cascade says the simplest way to think about traffic circles is as a “one-way street.”

According to Washington State law:• The traffic circle should always be

on your left. • Enter at a slow speed and yield to

anyone already in orbit. • If you arrive at the intersection at

the same time as another bicycle or vehicle, treat it like a 4-way stop – yield to the person on the right.

Washington State law and the Seattle Department of Transporta-tion seem to diverge on one piece of advice:

SDOT’s website says while driv-ers must proceed counterclockwise, “turning left in front of a traffic circle can be safely performed if the driver exercises reasonable care and yields to pedestrians, bicyclists and oncoming traffic.”

Does this mean it is legal to speed around the circle to the left? No, and you still might get pulled over by a police officer.

But as someone who walks or bikes, it’s good to know some driv-ers may choose to skirt the traffic circle altogether.

Dizzy yet?Like a dance, each ride around a

traffic circle requires a little bit of communication with your part-ners. It may not always be pretty, but now you know the basic rules, which will help you from stepping on other people’s toes.

And you can feel confident about the fact that traffic circles do indeed reduce collisions – up to 93 per-cent at intersections, according to SDOT.

What should we cover next? Email [email protected] to get your newbie questions answered.

www.cascade.org

January 2015

12

What is the city of Kirkland doing to ac-commodate bicycling and walking? What are some of your bike/ped safety priori-ties this year?

It’s been a busy year. We finished adding 19 new flashing beacons at crosswalks and our resurfacing proj-ects are adding new or wider bike lanes on all newly resurfaced streets. We’ll also be wrapping up the in-terim trail on the Cross Kirkland Corridor. The city manager’s pro-posed 2015-16 budget includes a “Walkable Kirkland” initiative that dedicates an additional $2.4 mil-lion to flashing beacons, crosswalks, sidewalks and school walk routes in the next five years.

We’ve been doing a lot of plan-ning! Council approved a master plan for the Cross Kirkland Corri-dor and the Juanita Drive Corridor Study. We’ve also been setting the foundation for our revised Com-prehensive Plan, notably with the Transportation Master Plan that covers bike and pedestrian policy. We’ll complete the 100th Avenue Corridor Study this year; one of the main focuses of that study was completing bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

How will Kirkland's upcoming updates to the Transportation Master Plan change the city in the years ahead?

It will be transformative. The goals and policies embrace walk-ing, biking and transit. There’s a big

Five questions for Kirkland Mayor Amy Walenby McKayla Dunfey, Eastside Policy & Government Affairs Coordinator

November Donor ListOur donors make our work possible—Thank you!

emphasis on safety, on completing networks for bikes and on building sidewalks where they can increase and support walkable neighbor-hoods.

The centerpiece of the safety strategy is a “vision zero” multidis-ciplinary approach to eliminating crashes. We also know that build-ing great facilities for bikes means more ridership and more ridership improves safety for all modes.

We are incorporating a network of greenways to compliment more traditional facilities. Kirkland of the future will have better wayfinding and better bike parking, too.

What are the biggest challenges Kirkland faces in terms of improving bicycling in-frastructure?

As you might expect, funding is a big challenge. We’re committed to a balanced approach that means we can’t turn our backs on sidewalks, better crosswalks, transit facilities and projects that help cars. Kirk-land isn’t different than any other city, there is never enough money to do everything people would like us to do.

The other challenge is moving forward at the right pace. For ex-ample, say we removed a bunch of heavily used parking and converted that street space to bike facilities. It might be great for cyclists, but there would likely be blow back that could jeopardize the ability to deliv-

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er future bike projects. So we need to move steadily and intentionally but at the right speed.

There has been a lot of buzz around pro-tected bike lanes, both in the region and around the county, this past year. What do you think of protected bike lanes? Will we be seeing protected bike lanes in Kirkland in the future?

Yes! Our Transportation Plan calls for protected bike lanes. We’re con-sidering the whole spectrum, from a paint buffer of a couple of feet all the way up to something much more substantial. Lake Washington Boulevard has great potential; we’d like to study it more.

I do want to make sure that we don’t spend a disproportionate amount of resources building a short stretch of high-end protected bike lanes at the expense of more complete network.

There’s a lot of buzz right now, in a couple of years there should be more experience with protected fa-cilities and more best practices for us to draw on.

Many of our members/supporters are very excited about the Cross Kirkland Corridor. Thank you for your work on this transformative project. What do you think of the CKC? How do you think it will change Kirkland?

The CKC will be a legacy proj-ect that will shape Kirkland for de-cades to come. Future generations will view it in the same way that we view the waterfront parks that the leaders before us gave the city. I am proud to have been part of acquir-ing the CKC. We’re planning for much more than a paved trail for bikes and pedestrians. As one of our citizens coined it, the CKC will be a place to go to not just go through. We’re already seeing that; Chainline Brewery is opening on the corri-dor and our interim trail isn’t even done. I hope people can check out the Master Plan that Council ap-proved last June and get a sense of

our vision.The other big piece is integrating

the CKC into the rest of the net-work, making it easy to get to the CKC – that’s almost as important as the corridor itself.

It was important to us to get the corridor open and usable quickly. That’s why we’ve moved fast to buy our section, get the tracks out and a high quality crushed rock trail with improved street crossings in place. It will be open in a couple of months, and I’d urge you to check it out. I think you’ll be surprised at how smooth it rides.

We’re currently working with King County and Redmond on a connection between the CKC and the Redmond Central Connector. We have a grant to connect the CKC to the new transit-oriented development at the South Kirkland Park and Ride which is also adja-cent to the SR 520 trail; this will make for seamless connections. It’s exciting to imagine the day when our partners to the north and south get their pieces of the trail complet-ed and open up even more of the Eastside.

Who would you like to hear from next? Let us know by emailing McKayla at [email protected].

Mayor of Kirkland, Amy Walen

cascade courier - january 2015

Documents

cascade season passfor

new cascade bicycling

cascade bicycle center

friendly cascade staff

active cascade members

happy new year

new club kits

new spaceby bike