[NFBWATLK] info for Pike/Pine Bike/ped Corridor presentation for Nov 17 Seattle meeting

[mjc59 at comcast.net]

Thanks, Peggy. Alan Borning, who works with the OneBusAway transit app, will also be at the chapter. It’s good that these people are coming to us for our feedback. The meeting starts at 10 am on Saturday at City University.

Marci

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------ Original Message ------



Wanted to make sure folks know about this presentation for Saturday's
meeting. Brie Gyncild from Central Seattle Neighborhood Greenways requested
the opportunity to describe this project and seek our input. Hope you can
join us! If not, please see Brie's introduction below for ways to learn
more.

I'm Brie Gyncild with Central Seattle Greenways, a volunteer-led group that
works to make the streets safe and comfortable for people walking and biking
in the Central Area and Capitol Hill neighborhoods. Central Seattle
Greenways is part of the citywide Seattle Neighborhood Greenways coalition.

Background
The City of Seattle has recognized the need to provide greater safety for
people biking in the Pike/Pine corridor for several years. This summer, the
Seattle City Council directed SDOT to build protected bike lanes in the
Pike/Pine corridor by the end of 2019. Funding to build the lanes is already
secured through the Community Package of public benefits that are part of
the Washington State Convention Center expansion.

Central Seattle Greenways, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, and the Capitol
Hill EcoDistrict have been discussing possible configurations with City
staff. But we know that adding protected bike lanes to a street changes the
street in other ways, too. A successful street design meets the diverse
needs of a wide variety of users.

We convened a community design workshop on October 25 that brought 150
people together to discuss their needs and potential design ideas. However,
there were perspectives missing from that workshop. In particular, we want
to hear from people with limited vision. Too often, concerns about
accessibility are considered only after infrastructure is in place. We want
to make sure they're understood from the beginning.

I appreciate Peggy's helping us learn from you.

Bike lanes downtown
By the end of 2019, interim bike lanes will be in place between 1st and
Broadway.

We expect the Pike/Pine Renaissance Act One plan to be implemented in a few
years. The plan is intended to create a sense of place and provide a better
experience for people walking. I believe they're at 30% design; if you
haven't had a chance, I encourage you to review and comment on that plan.
(More info is at https://waterfrontseattle.org/pike-pine)

The Pike/Pine Renaissance plan, part of the Seattle Waterfront project, will
make Pike a one-way street eastbound from 1st Ave to Melrose or Bellevue,
with a protected bike lane on the north, or left, side of the street.
Likewise, Pine will be made a one-way street westbound from Melrose or
Bellevue Ave to 1st Ave, with a protected bike lane on the south or left
side of the street.

So, that will take care of protected bike lanes between 1st and Melrose or
Bellevue. The challenge is to continue those lanes east to Broadway.

Alignment options
The City has considered making Pike and Pine one-way all the way to
Broadway. But currently, eastbound buses move from Pike to Pine at Bellevue
Ave. Making Pike and Pine one-way all the way to Broadway would require
buses to travel eastbound on Pike past Bellevue, which would require moving
or adding trolley wires to Pike, and we've been told that would cost tens of
millions of dollars and is extremely unlikely.

As a two-way street, Pine has many bus stops on both sides of the street,
making it challenging to fit a protected bike lane.

Our current understanding is that the City is most likely to install
protected bike lanes on Pike between Broadway and Bellevue or Melrose. Those
might be two one-way lanes traveling in the direction of traffic on either
side of the street or a two-way cycle track on the north side of the street,
similar to the cycle track on Broadway but without bus stops.

There are a few clear pros and cons for each option. Generally,
single-direction protected bike lanes traveling in the direction of traffic
are easier for people biking, people driving, and people walking to
understand, especially at intersections. However, in this case, moving
eastbound bikes from the north side of Pike to the south side when the
street changes from a one-way street to a two-way street will be
challenging. While a two-way cycle track can be more confusing -- and there
is a slight incline between Belmont and Melrose so there would also be
people moving faster downhill next to people biking more slowly uphill -- it
would be much easier to move bikes from the north side of Pike at Melrose to
the two-way cycle track on the north side of Pike east of Melrose.

Do you have a preference for the alignment?

Why?

Westbound lane transitioning from Pike to Pine
The street will become one-way west of either Melrose or Bellevue (probably
Bellevue). So people biking westbound on Pike will need to move over to Pine
to continue going downtown. The three most likely options for that
transition are Minor, Melrose, and Bellevue.

Melrose is intended to be a future greenway, a street that prioritizes
people walking and biking, but it's also currently a key street for
deliveries to local restaurants and shops.

Bellevue is a busier street, and it's the street the buses use to move from
Pike to Pine eastbound.

Minor is currently a two-way street, with street parking and some
deliveries.

Do you have thoughts about which street would make the most sense?

Do you have concerns about any of these streets having protected bike lanes
on them or otherwise changing?

Safety and comfort
The safety and comfort of people walking, biking, or rolling through the
neighborhood is of great importance. As you consider potential changes to
the street and the alignment options, think about areas where there may be
interactions between drivers and people walking or biking, or between people
biking and people walking.

Are there places in the Pike/Pine corridor where you feel unsafe today?

Are there any particular intersections where you are concerned that the new
street design might affect safety?

Do you have ideas about how to ensure that those areas are safe?


Other street amenities
The addition of protected bike lanes on Pike requires 12-14 feet of street,
leaving approximately three lane widths for other purposes. There are
several competing needs for that space, including general-purpose travel
lanes, loading zones, turn lane pockets, parking, parklets, and bike parking
corrals.

In order to design a street that works well, city planners need to
understand the community's needs.

Do you, personally, use 3-minute or 30-minute loading zones now?

How do you use them?

Where do you most need loading zones?

Are there intersections on Pike that you think require pocket turn lanes?

Do you have other thoughts about how to balance the needs on the street?


Other input
Is there anything else you'd like to share with decision makers about the
design of the corridor?

Speaking more generally, it would be very helpful for me to understand how
protected bike lanes either make an area more comfortable for people with
limited vision or how they make your lives less safe or less convenient.

Are there protected bike lanes you like? Any you particularly dislike? Can
you tell me what works or doesn't work well?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the street design. We'll analyze
and summarize all the input we receive, and we'll provide that summary as
well as the raw data with City staff and elected officials. Of course, this
information will also inform our advocacy as we work with the community and
the City to create a safe, vibrant, thriving Pike/Pine corridor.

We'll have an online survey up next week that covers many of the same
questions I asked you today. If you'd like to provide more input, please do.
The survey will be available at bit.ly/PikePineWorkshop.

Central Seattle Greenways and the larger Seattle Neighborhood Greenways
coalition get involved in street safety and placemaking projects all over
the city. If you want to get involved with Seattle Neighborhood Greenways -
either by joining a local neighborhood group or by partnering with us in
policy, street design, or street improvement projects, we'd love to work
with you. Our aim is to make Seattle a great place to walk, bike, and live,
and we welcome help identifying obstacles and advocating for solutions that
work.

THANK YOU!



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