Upcoming Events & Meetings and Rides

Statewide RIDES Calendar lists rides and events that support the Bicycle Alliance.
Statewide ADVOCACY Calendar lists Bicycle Advocacy Groups that meet regularly.

Update: KC Council votes for rail-trail

On May 5th, the King County Council voted to pass a ordinance binding them to an agreement that will have the Port of Seattle purchase the line from BNSF Railway. The Port has still to vote on the decision.

Read more about it in this Seattle P-I article and this Seattle Times editorial.

Background: The Eastside rail corridor spans 42 miles parallel to I-405 from Renton to Snohomish and Woodinville, providing a regional connection through two counties and seven cities. The corridor was offered for sale by BNSF in 2004. Last November, the County and Port of Seattle reached a preliminary agreement that allows the Port to acquire the right-of-way with King County operating a regional trail along the corridor.

Welcome Our New Commute Director: Every Day

Every Day started as the Bicycle Alliance of Washington's new Commute Director April 14th. Every moved up to the Seattle area from Portland last year. She has worked in transportation-based non-profit organizations and has been an avid bicycle commuter since coming to the Northwest in 2001.

Feel free to stop by and introduce yourself.

Bike Alliance Holds Board and Staff Retreat

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington held a board and staff retreat on April 19 in Kirkland. It was a great opportunity for Board and staff to get to know each other, and for new Board members to learn the history of the organization.

Board president Ralph Wessels welcomed attendees and past Board member Arnie Tomac provided an historical overview. Staff members made brief presentations on their roles with the Bicycle Alliance and a financial overview was provided. Kristin Kinnamon, Board member and chair of the Legislative and Statewide Issues Committee, recapped this year's legislative activities and gathered suggestions for next year's agenda.

Afternoon discussion focused on elements of the organization's strategic plan. Participants discussed the continued need for an Eastern Washington staff person and ways the BAW could make this a reality. Expanding community and club outreach and increasing membership were also expressed goals. A commitment was made to begin the process to hire a development director as soon as the strategic plan updates are finalized.

Tell Olympic National Park NOT to ban bicyclists!

Hurricane Ridge Road inside Olympic National Park is a popular summer destination for bicyclists who like the challenge of a 17-mile road rising from virtually sea level to 5420-feet. Park managers have been planning to repave the road for several years and Congress has provided $12.7 Million to repave and repair 12 miles. The road recently sustained storm damage.

Citing "safety," the park is planning to ban bicyclists for the entire two year duration of the road repairs. The road will remain open to all other vehicle traffic, including motorcycles.

We believe that this is an unnecessary exclusion of bicyclists on what is a federally funded road open to all other forms of traffic.

Write to your members of Congress and interim park superintendent Sue McGill and let them know that the proposed ban is totally unacceptable [contact info listed below]. Request that McGill meet directly with the Bicycle Alliance and other bicycle groups to reach an improved solution.

Key points to raise:

• Hurricane Ridge Road is a popular destination for bicyclists
• Bicyclists who ride this road tend to be very experienced, fit riders
• The road will remain open to all other vehicle traffic
• State, county and city governments in Washington manage to accommodate bicyclists during reconstruction projects without any problems
• No construction work will take place at weekends, but the ban is to remain in place then too
• Olympic National Park did not contact a single bicycle group in its out-reach efforts, even though bicyclists are the most affected users
• Contractors routinely deal with bicyclists on other road projects - this project is no more a safety issue than other road works.

• Senator Patty Murray
• Senator Maria Cantwell

Olympic National Park
Sue McGill, Superintendent
Olympic National Park
600 E. Park Avenue
Port Angeles, WA 98362
sue_mcgill@nps.gov

Background on the issue is available in this Peninsula Daily News Article

Calling all photographers..we want photos!

We're working on redesigning our web site and would like to include many more photographic images. Recreation rides, family outings, commuter trips, trail rides, races - if it involves bicycling in Washington State, we'd love to see your photos. We're particular keen to show the diversity of Washington's natural and urban landscapes with bicyclists in them.

Please be selective and send only your very best shots in jpeg format. Be sure to include your name and day-time contact information. Any photos you submit must be taken by you (i.e., you own the copyright.) There is no payment for photographs we use on the Bicycle Alliance web site but we shall list the name of the photographer.

Send your medium resolution (600x800 pixels) jpeg images to info@bicyclealliance.org. Please put "photos" in the subject area, and include a description of the photo (location, identify people if you can, etc.). If you have more than a few photos to send us, please consider putting them on a disk and dropping it off or mailing it to the office. We will continue to accept photographs throughout the next four months.

Thanks!

Personalize your Share the Road Plate!

Already have a Share the Road license plate? Now you can personalize your plate instead of just being a number. To find out what you can put on your plate and how to get it, check out our Share the Road Plate FAQ page.

Have you gotten your Share the Road plate personalized?
Send us a photo we can post on the website!

Here are a few we received so far...