Tom Fucoloro

Screenshot from KC Metro video (posted below)

Here are the details, from Metro:

As part of Bike Month, King County Metro and Sound Transit are encouraging people to try bike-and-bus trips. During the week of May 14-18, any cyclist loading a bike on a Metro bus or ST Express bus operated by Metro will ride free. ST Express routes included are: 540, 542, 545, 550, 554, 555, 556 and 560.

Each bus has three spaces on its bike rack, which are available on a first come/first served basis. If the bus bike rack is full, cyclists should be prepared to wait for the next bus or consider leaving their bike parked in a bike rack at a transit facility. Bike lockers are also available at many Metro and Sound Transit facilities.

This offer is good only on the buses mentioned above. It does not apply to Link light rail, Sounder, the South Lake Union Streetcar, or the King County Water Taxi.

For new cyclists who want to try loading their bike in a pressure-free environment, Metro has display bike racks at five locations around the county. They are available at North Seattle Community College, the University of Washington, Bellevue College, Alki Bike and Board in West Seattle, and at the offices of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington in Pioneer Square. Detailed information on hours and locations can be found online.

Are you intimidated by putting your bike on a bus? I know I was the first time I tried it. Here’s a video that demonstrates how to do it (h/t Biking Bis):

Since today was the first day of free rides for folks with bikes, how do you all think it went?

Screenshot from Bike Score

Bike Score has landed. Developed in Seattle by the makers of Walk Score, Bike Score analyzes several factors to determine how bikeable an area is.

Parts of the city that have a good balance of bicycle facilities, relatively flat terrain, destinations and existing bicycle commuters score well.

Averaging all areas of the city together, Seattle gets a 64 out of 100. This places it 7th in the nation. Minneapolis edged out Portland for the top seat on the list (BikePortland reports that this is because dedicated bike paths are weighted twice as much as bike lanes and neighborhood greenways). Seattle also places behind San Francisco, Boston, Madison and D.C.

Some interesting things about the map:

• Popular waterfront biking areas score terribly. For example, West Seattle does not do well as a whole, including along the Alki Trail. Lake Washington neighborhoods also do poorly, even though they are along popular bicycling routes.
• The map understands that not all hills are deterrents to cycling. For example, the number of destinations, bike facilities and current bike commuters on Capitol Hill and the Central District far outweigh the steep and endless climbing required to get there. Same with Wallingford and the University District.
• The Missing Link destroys Ballard’s bikeability. Once completed, huge new swaths of the neighborhood’s densest areas will instantly turn green:
• In order to weigh the current bike commuter levels, the Bike Score folks used Census data to map where bike commuters live. So much to discuss here: 
• The Bike Score results bear a lot of similarities to a bikeability study by Seattle Transit Blog’s Adam Parast.

What are your thoughts? I’d say the Bike Score team did a fantastic job weighing all the elements that go into making communities bikeable. It gives some good hints about where we should be prioritizing new bicycle connections. For example, there is some excellent potential in Magnolia if we can get more residents to the Elliott Bay Trail. Cycle track on Gilman Ave? Are there neighborhood greenway options?

And for the love of god, can we get a safe cycling facility through Rainier Valley?

To celebrate Seattle Beer Week — and, of course, bicycles! — the Ballard-based Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery is hosting a local brewery pub crawl on bikes Saturday.

The Tour de Pints starts promptly at 11 a.m. at Pike Brewing Company in Pike Place Market. From there it will hit Hillard’s Beer, Naked City Brewery, Ravenna Alehouse, Fremont Brewing, Hales Ales and the Wurst Place. See the official route here.

Roller racing at Hale’s to support the Marymoor Velodrome

After the Tour, you can stick around at Hales for the Marymoor Velodrome Association’s roller racing rally.

Details:

Saturday May 12, 7-10pm Hale’s Ales Palladium in Seattle (Fremont/Ballard)

• All ages
• Track-specific bike swap (bring your stuff to trade and sell!)
• Food and beverages available
• See your long lost track friends! The season’s almost here!

First heats on the roller bikes (fixed fork) scheduled for 7:30. Spin to win!

BikeWise is an awesome tool with tons of room to grow. It already provides a space for people who have crashed or had a bike stolen a place to publicly report the incidents. The crash data in particular provides advocates and the city with valuable data on trouble spots.

There’s typically no police report if there were no other vehicles involved in an incident (like, for example, a solo crash caused by trolley tracks), so creating a record of such incidents is important. Once enough people use the service, it becomes clear where spot improvements are needed.

The service also allows people to report stolen bicycles and known hazards (from wheel-grabbing sewer grates to overgrown vegetation).

The site is a partnership between Cascade Bicycle Club and software developer Phil Mitchell. Now, some UW students are looking to help improve the service, and they need your help. Take their survey to help them get an idea of how people would like to use the service.

The annual Ride of Silence group bike rides take place in cities all over the world as a way to remember people who have been killed or injured while biking.

Seattle’s 8th Ride of Silence will meet at Gas Works Park May 16. Here’s the schedule:

• 6:30pm Arrive at Gas Works Park
• 6:45pm Dedications + Spoken Word
• 7:00pm Ride of Silence begins
• 7:30pm Stop/regroup at City Hall
• 8:30pm-9:30pm post-ride social

Forget free waterfront parking and treat your mother to some real fun: Critical Lass.

The first ever Seattle Critical Lass ride leaves the Ballard Library Sunday at 2 p.m. for an easy, welcoming cruise for women of all biking abilities. Also, I hear there will be Cyclo Femme temporary tattoos.

Critical Lass joins Seattle’s growing list of regular women-only social bike rides like Menstrual Monday and RAW (Real Active Women). You can catch Menstrual Monday rides at the Seattle Center fountain at 7 p.m. the first Monday of every month. Check the RAW website for their schedule of monthly free rides.

Seattle’s Critical Lass is one of many rides across the nation Sunday as part of Cyclo Femme‘s initiative to honor the tradition of women and bicycles changing the world:

HONOR THE PAST and the emancipation of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, for the freedom to choose and the chance to wear pants. CELEBRATE THE PRESENT and the riders who keep it rolling, bringing women’s racing to the forefront, pushing the limits, breaking down barriers and sharing the love of the bike with everyone along the way. EMPOWER THE FUTURE of women in cycling and the opportunity for positive social change. Teach women to ride and they will change the world. MAY 13TH, 2012

Photo from SDOT, taken in March

Due to supply problems, work on the W Thomas St overpass has been delayed. The city expects the walking and biking bridge to be completed in July.

The delay-causing culprit? They’re waiting for the handrails. From SDOT:

The fabulous new elevated bike/ped path may now look just about done, but in reality one could accidentally fall off onto Elliott or the tracks below since handrails are yet to be installed.  Why?  The huge sections of heavy railing have not yet been manufactured and delivered.  Why?  Well, turns out it’s a bit of a bear to make 20 to 40 feet long pieces of railing especially when the material needed for the fabrication is in high demand and hence delayed in its delivery.  So there you have it.  It’s not pretty, considering it’s bike month, but it certainly WILL be a pretty site to see once the overpass opens in July.

The overpass was originally supposed to open in late 2011, but a lawsuit by Hempfest organizers pushed construction back. When it finally opens, it will create a much-needed connection between Lower Queen Anne and Myrtle Edwards Park. Now that the Ship Canal Trail reaches almost all the way to Gilman Ave in Magnolia, the new overpass will provide a connection from Lower Queen Anne (and Seattle Center) to the Fremont Bridge and the Burke-Gilman Trail that requires very little climbing and mixed-traffic biking.

It could also be the start of the Great Bikeification of Lower Queen Anne, a dense commercial and residential neighborhood that has long been cut off from the rest of the city’s bicycle network. An influx of new biking customers could be an economic boon for neighborhood businesses.

And things are set to change dramatically in the next few years. The Mercer West project will build a cycle track between Dexter and Seattle Center, and the planned deep bore tunnel will reconnect Harrison, Thomas and John Streets between South Lake Union and Lower Queen Anne.

The 2011 Kids Bike Swap

Kids love bikes, maybe even more than I do (and I like bikes a lot). But there’s one big problem they have that I don’t: Kids grow.

Riding a bike that is not the right size can be uncomfortable or even dangerous. But buying a new bike every couple years is expensive, and many families simply cannot afford to keep up. That’s where the Bike Works Kids Bike Swap comes in.

Volunteers have been working (and honing their bike fixing skills) for the past year to get donated bikes back into good working condition, all for this day. Kids can trade their old bikes for credit toward a “new” ride that better fits their bodies and their styles. Typically, kids can ride away for under $20, including a free helmet from Seattle Children’s.

Kids also learn all about community and sharing as their old, loved bikes go into a corral to wait for another, smaller child to fall in love with it all over again. There are some tears as kids say goodbye to their rides, but mostly there are smiles as hundreds of kids get new bikes all on the same day. (See our coverage from last year’s Kids Bike Swap)

There are some changes to the format this year: There will be no more long lines! Instead, people show up, drop off their trade-in bike and get a number. There will be entertainment throughout the day, so people waiting to get a new ride can hang out and listen to live music or get balloon animals and more. This also means that people who don’t need a new bike (or older folks without kids) can still come by and enjoy the festivities.

From Bike Works:

Bike Works will hold its annual Kids Bike Swap on Saturday, May 12th, 2012, from 10am – 4pm at Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98118. This event is an opportunity for families to trade-in a bike their child has outgrown for a larger bike – just in time for the summer riding season! The Kid’s Bike Swap helps to facilitate the flow of affordable bicycles within the community and keeps fully functional bikes out of our local landfills.

How the Kids Bike Swap Works
Bike Works staff and volunteers have been hard at work all year refurbishing used bikes to bring to the Kids Bike Swap.   On the day of the event families can bring bikes that their children have outgrown and the bike is assigned a trade- in value.  Then the families can look through all the bikes we have fixed up and pick out a new bike and they can apply their trade-in value to the cost of their new bike.   (If the chosen bike’s value exceeds that of the trade-in value, the customer is responsible for the difference.) Typically, when a bike is swapped the customer is able to take home their newly refurbished ride for $20 or less.  Families looking to buy a bike, who do not have a bike to trade-in, are welcome to shop for a low-cost bike after 12 pm.

New this year: The Bike Works Community Festival
Join the hundreds of other families participating in the Kids Bike Swap! To make things even better, this year there’s no need to wait in line. Families can drop off their trade-in bike and enjoy all sorts of fun activities until their number is called. In addition to the Bike Swap and bike activities, all families are invited to join in the festival, with kid-friendly bands, balloon animals, gardening tips, food and much more! There will also be a Family Bike Expo, with examples of different bikes and trailers that help families to become car-free.  Admission is free and everyone is welcome at the festival, you don’t have to bring a bike to join in all the activities.

Entertainment Line Up
10 AM-11AM:   Rain City Rock Camp for Girls
11AM-12PM:  Smalltime Stringband
12PM – 1PM:  Jug Banditos
1PM- 2PM:  Squirrel Butter
2PM -3PM:  The Onlies
3PM – 4PM: Bubble Man

Free Helmets
Seattle Children’s Hospital will do helmet fittings and provide free bike helmets as well as education on bicycle helmet safety.

I will be volunteering during the afternoon, adjusting bike seats and helping with test rides. So say hi if you’re there after 1!

Be sure to swing by McGraw Square on your way to work Friday because Commute Seattle wants to give you bagels and coffee.

SDOT will be on hand to get feedback for the Bicycle Master Plan update, and Mayor McGinn will say a few words.

From Commute Seattle:

Commute Seattle is having their second annual Bikes & Bagels event at McGraw Square on Friday, May 11th from 7am to 9am. Like last year, morning bike commuters can drop by for free bagels, cream cheese, coffee, and the chance to win fun prizes on their way to work. This year, the Seattle Department of Transportation will be on hand with one of the first opportunities for commuters to provide feedback as part of the Bicycle Master Plan update process. Special Guest Mayor Mike McGinn will be on hand to make some remarks about the update, as well.

Host a Bike to Work Day Station

Work at home? Work non-standard hours? Unemployed? Well, you don’t need to miss out on the Bike to Work Day festivities. Host a DIY Bike to Work Station May 18 and spend the morning chatting with folks and doing, well, just about whatever you want.

The region will be covered in stations, and yours can be one of them. Just check out Cascade Bicycle Club’s handy guide to get started. Once you contact them with your idea, your station will appear on the official Bike to Work Day Stations map. And if you are doing something unique, be sure to let me know either via email or in the comments below!

Step-by-step instructions for hosting your own station, from Cascade:

1. Pick a spot. Chose a great location where you regularly see cyclists. Your station should allow for safe access: don’t block sidewalks, trails or traffic. Make sure cyclists can cyclists can pull over safely to visit your station.

2. Come up with some creative ideas to make your booth engaging. Have fun with it! Some sample ideas are below.

• Ask a local store to donate cupcakes.
• Play a bike related game.
• Create a map of visiting cyclists and their routes.
• Sign a thank you note to your elected officials.

3. Contact Cascade Bicycle Club. To sign up, register your DIY Station to our interactive map, or ask questions, contact Mary Collins, cpa@cascadebicycleclub.org.

4. Promote your station. We’ll list DIY community stations on our website, but it’s important to reach out to your community as well. Alert your neighborhood blog, invite your neighbors to roll by and post our downloadable flyer in local businesses.

5. Share your success. Let us know how it went with photos, data or feedback.

• Keep a tally of how many people come by your station.
• Take photos of your station
• Collect stories, quotes and memories of the day

6. Join us. You are clearly committed to both bicycling and your community. So is Cascade Bicycle Club. We invite you to join Cascade in creating better communities through bicycling.

That reminds me, somebody definitely needs to host a “Bike to Funemployment” party somewhere after everyone else has gone to work May 18. After all, biking is great when you’re unemployed, too!

It’s official, says the Gov

Check it out (via the Cascade blog):

It’s the Tuesday Bike News Roundup! This week’s edition is heavily weighted in the Pacific Northwest. Probably because there’s just so much awesome (and some not so awesome) bike stuff happening!

But first, here’s a video of the best bike lock ever:

Pacific Northwest News:

• Why We Fall in Love with Cycling | Sightline Daily
• Seattle Times Turns Park Discussion into “Battle Over Parking” | PubliCola – Obviously this park is just about hating cars. It couldn’t possibly be for any other reason, like creating a safer and more enjoyable neighborhood space…
• Ride slowly with me « Cascade Bicycle Club Blog
• Seattle Neighborhood Greenways has a new website!
• Pedal America begins airing this weekend — except in Seattle » Biking Bis
• Bellevue Driver Confirms Every Stereotype About Bellevue Drivers | PubliCola
• Tenth Annual Bike for Pie August 19 – Registration for the Bainbridge Island ride is now open.
• Low-cost bus line to Portland on track to compete against Amtrak | Local News | The Seattle Times – More details on BoltBus (see our previous story).
• SDOT Blog » NE Section of the Cheshiahud Loop Trail Gets a Much Needed Makeover and a Pocket Park Takes Shape
• Poll: Fewer Than One In Three Approve of McGinn | PubliCola
• Show us why you ride and win a Raleigh Clubman « Cascade Bicycle Club Blog – Video contest!
• Seattle Center’s Bike Parking Squid has surfaced:
  

  The Seattle Center squid bike rack has washed up! #SEAbikes twitter.com/familyride/sta…

  — familyride (@familyride) May 8, 2012

   

• Seattle Department of Transportation: City’s Old Street Signs Now Available to the Public – They’ve got Pines, but sorry, all out of Pikes.
• Kent’s Bike Blog: Grant Petersen in Seattle on May 11th – At Free Range Cycles in Fremont
• Clowns to the Left, Jokers to the Right: Media Portrayals of the Car-Free | Streetsblog.net
• BikePortland.org » Family bike camping; the new American tradition – Guest post by Russ from the Path Less Pedaled

Speaking of the Path Less Pedaled, here’s an awesome quick pitch for why the US Bicycle Route System deserves your support:

National & Global News:

• I don’t know about Tiananmen, but this kid sure gives Bike Swarm a run for their money:
  

  Russia’s Tianamen image. twitter.com/ioffeinmoscow/…

  — Julia Ioffe (@ioffeinmoscow) May 6, 2012

   

• FHWA: Small Investments in Bike/Ped Infrastructure Can Pay Off in a Big Way | Streetsblog Capitol Hill
• KTVU Reporter Documents Own Harassment of Cyclists | Streetsblog San Francisco
• What’s Lost When Kids Don’t Ride Bikes To School : NPR
• Death-Crash Driver Watching TV: South Korea Police | Bicycling.com
• Fed-up cyclist develops world’s loudest bike horn to alert motorists – Yahoo! News UK
• Milan’s BikeMi Bikeshare Uses Shaft-Drive Bikes : TreeHugger
• Citi Bikes It Is: Citi to Sponsor New York Bike-Share | Streetsblog New York City – How about some Seattle BECU Bikes? Boeing Bikes? Starbikes?
• Houston saddles up for downtown bike share program – Houston Chronicle – I mean, comes on! Even Houston has bike share before Seattle. Let’s get in the game!

This is an open thread. Who should sponsor King County’s bike share?