BYKE BYTES: Bike More, Drive Less, Get Active

1. Legislative Update
2. Fish Lake Trail Update
3. Bike Expo — Help Us Staff Our Booth!
4. Burke Gilman Trail Redevelopment
5. Chehalis Western Trail Ribbon Cutting — February 19!
6. Twenty Years of Bicycle Advocacy!
7. Safe Routes Training in Mt Vernon — February 2
8. Bike Expo — Help Us Staff Our Booth!
9. Volunteer of the Month

Legislative Update

Three bills have been introduced in the State Legislature that include Complete Streets policy language. HB 2139, sponsored by Representative Geoff Simpson, would add a new section to RCW 47.01 that directs Washington State Department of Transportation to accommodate and balance the safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, freight, and motor vehicle drivers, so that all can travel safely within the public right-of-way. This bill is currently sitting in the Transportation Committee.

SB 5412, and its companion HB 2041, realigns goals and objectives of certain transportation agencies and includes a section on complete streets. These bills are scheduled for committee hearings next week and Bike Alliance Executive Director Barbara Culp will head to Olympia to testify in favor of the complete streets element.

HB 1588, which would provide mobility education to drivers education students, had a committee hearing on Transportation Lobby Day. Many of our advocates turned out that afternoon to show their support for this bill.

Fish Lake Trail Update

The City of Spokane has submitted a request for $2 million to the State Legislature to help complete the Fish Lake Trail, a 10-mile former railroad right-of-way between Spokane and Cheney. Three members of the Fish Lake Trail Action Group traveled to Olympia for Transportation Lobby Day and met with Spokane area legislators asking them to support this request. If you live in Spokane or Cheney (or parts in between!) and would like to help support this effort, email Dan Schaffer at traildan@comcast.net.

The Fish Lake Trail Action Group meets again on March 13 at 6:30pm in the Manito Park Meeting Room in Spokane.

Bike Expo — Help Us Staff our Booth!

Here's an opportunity to help the Bicycle Alliance and attend a premier bicycle event! We need volunteers to help staff our informational booth at Bike Expo on March 10 & 11. Shift times and contact information follows­thanks for helping out!

Saturday March 10:   [Bike Expo Open 9:00 am to 6:00 pm]

Sunday March 11:   [Bike Expo Open 109:00 am to 4:00 pm]

If you are interested and able to join us to cover any of the above 3-hour shifts, please sign up by sending an email with the following: the time and day for which you are interested, your name and phone number where you can be reached (day/work phone plus night/weekend please). Send this to King Cushman at kcushman@psrc.org (weekdays at work) or on weekends to King at k-kcushman@comcast.net

Burke-Gilman Trail Redevelopment

King County proposes to redevelop a 2-mile segment of the Burke-Gilman Trail from NE 145th Street through Lake Forest Park to Log Boom Park in Kenmore to improve safety and ease of use for trail users. Among other things, this project would widen the asphalt portion of the trail to 12 feet, replace existing retaining walls and construct walls in new locations and replace the pedestrian bridge over Lyon Creek.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will evaluate the proposal and alternatives. Public comments are currently being accepted for the scoping phase of the EIS and are due by March 15, 2007. Comments can be emailed to fmd.sepacomments@metrokc.gov. Project information and documents can be found at www.metrokc.gov/facilities/burkegilmantrail.

Chehalis Western Trail Ribbon Cutting — February 19!

Chehalis Western Trail's "Bridging the Gap" I-5 Bridge Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

2pm Monday, February 19, 2007
South Sound Center (behind Sears)
711 Sleater-Kinney Road SE, Lacey

The first of three bridges in the "Bridging the Gap" project is complete! In just 6 short months, the C-W Trail's I-5 bridge has gone from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting! Please join Congressman Brian Baird and other noted trail supporters as we celebrate this critical non-motorized link!

Sponsored by Thurston Regional Planning Council and Thurston County Parks & Recreation.

Need directions? Map to Chehalis Western Trail [pdf]

Volunteer of the Month

Retired high school teacher and dedicated cyclist Norm Tjaden is a ride leader for at least 3 different clubs in the Seattle area. Norm has been a fixture at our month end work parties for many years and he is a tireless bicycle advocate. Thanks, Norm!

The Bicycle Alliance is a non-profit VOLUNTEER POWERED organization. We work for you, but also, we NEED you. We have an ongoing need for office volunteers: data entry, filing and other tasks always need to get done. Our annual auction would not happen without over 100 people giving generously of their time. We need advocates in every corner of the state to work with government officials And there are always special tasks for special skills that can help the cause of bicycling throughout Washington.

The easiest way to get involved is to come to our monthly volunteer work PARTY. On the last Thursday of each month from 1pm to 8pm at our office in Seattle we have a workparty with lots and lots of yummy goodies (chocolate is a specialty), socializing and working to further bicycle advocacy in Washington. We would love to have you join us. Drop in on the last Thursday afternoon. We need your help. Call Mark at 206.224.9252 or send Mark email to RSVP, to get directions or to get more information.

Upcoming Workparties: Feb 22nd and March 29th.

Over 1800 Share the Road License Plates Sold!