We all know that Seattle’s Bicycle Master Plan (BMP) is five years behind the times1. While our sister cities across North America are building cycle tracks and extensive networks of neighborhood greenways, our current plan still calls for sharrows on some of our busiest and fastest arterials.
Luckily, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has released two new online tools to help capture information about what would make Seattle more bike-friendly for you and those who want to ride, but just don’t feel safe doing it right now.
SDOT’s online survey asks what you think would encourage more people to bike in Seattle and what type of things prohibit you or your family from riding to places you need to go. And their interactive map allows you to show them where you want to ride but don’t, which streets are the worst for biking, and which intersections need safety improvements. These tools will help determine the future of bicycling in Seattle.
Click here to show and tell SDOT what would make Seattle the best for bicycling >>
SDOT’s survey and mapping tool will only be open for a few more weeks, so dig in and give them your comments and recommendations today.
While not all people who bicycle are alike, infrastructure like cycle tracks, neighborhood greenways, and safe intersection crossings have been shown to encourage more people to ride2. And encouraging the “willing but wary” to give bicycling a try isn’t just great for their health – it actually makes our streets safer for everyone3.
Since last week, hundreds of people like you have signed on to support a bold and visionary plan for bicycling in Seattle4. Now let’s show SDOT how we want it built.
Click here to show and tell SDOT what would make Seattle the best for bicycling >>
Thanks for your help in building a better Seattle.
Sincerely,
Max Hepp-Buchanan
Advocacy Campaigns Manager
Cascade Bicycle Club
P.S. While you are out there on the road during Bike Month, if you see something that could be improved to make your ride better, show and tell us as well by filming it on your smart phone and sending us the link. Your video will help build our campaign around the BMP update and could be featured in one of our weekly Bike Month emails. Click here for more details.
1http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5719/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1204355
2http://saferoutescalifornia.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/lbc_srts/
3http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/9/3/205.full
4http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5719/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9857
