Our 2024 Legislative Agenda

  • WA Bikes top priorities for the 2024 session include investments in active transportation statewide and ending the traffic safety crisis.

Ending the traffic safety crisis, delivering on Move Ahead Washington transportation funding commitments, and addressing the climate crisis are among the top Washington Bikes priorities for the 60-day legislative session that convenes on Jan. 8.

End the Traffic Safety Crisis

Traffic fatalities and injuries continue to trend in the wrong direction, especially for vulnerable road users. Despite a focus on this issue during the 2023 legislative session, there is still much work to do. We’re asking legislators to enact strategies to address the epidemic of traffic violence.

Build Safe Places to Bike and Walk  Across WA

We’re asking the legislature to maintain and speed up active transportation funding that was included in the  Move Ahead Washington transportation package approved in 2022. Project cost overruns for fish culverts and highway mega-projects are causing concern for lawmakers as they puzzle over the transportation budget. We will fight to ensure Move Ahead Washington dollars go to fund safe places to bike and walk and don’t get diverted to other uses that don’t protect vulnerable road users.

Protect Investments in our Climate Future

In 2021, the Legislature passed groundbreaking carbon reduction legislation, the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA is a market-based program to reduce carbon pollution and achieve greenhouse gas reductions. This law generates funding by requiring polluters to pay, thereby incentivizing conservation and renewable energy generation.

Funding generated by the CCA supports Washingtonians’ transition away from fossil fuels, and it is designed to help those most impacted by the climate crisis and fossil fuel pollution. Included in those investments are millions of dollars for biking, walking and clean transportation.

Unfortunately, a signature gathering effort is attempting to kill the Climate Commitment Act. Washington Bikes asks everyone who supports efforts to save our climate to join us in opposing efforts to kill the CCA, which would derail funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation programs.  We support the CCA and will support policies this legislative session that accelerate CCA investments, and keep this important law in place.

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50 Bike Champions Elected Across WA!

The November elections are certified and Washington Bikes is excited by the results. Thanks to your votes, 50 of our endorsed candidates won in 23 communities.

That means more bike champions will make decisions about transportation policies and bike infrastructure in communities statewide in 2024. Washington Bikes will work with these elected officials in the coming years to make our streets safer and more accessible for all.

Here’s a rundown of the top five communities that are poised for positive change thanks to the bike champions we helped elect.

Spokane City Council & Mayor

We’re incredibly excited that WA Bikes Board alum Paul Dillon won a City Council seat along with Kitty Klitzke, who previously served on the state Cooper Jones Active Transportation Safety Advisory Council.

Dillon and Klitzke will be important voices as Spokane moves forward with implementing its new Vision Zero Action Plan, and as bike advocates push for new protected bike lanes on key downtown arterials.

Alongside these new new City Council members, Lisa Brown was successful in her bid to unseat the current mayor (a difficult task!). Brown voiced strong support for safer biking in Spokane during our endorsement process.

Now it is up to these new leaders and all of us to work together to win support for funding and street safety improvements that Spokane’s residents want and need.

Bremerton City Council

A strongly pro-bike council has gotten even stronger in Bremerton, where three of our endorsed candidates–Denise Frey, Anna Mockler, and Jane Rebelowski–won their races.

Electing these bike champions means that we can build on recent successes including the forthcoming upgrades to the Warren Street Bridge, which will include a wide shared-use path that will enable bike access for people of all ages and abilities.

Bremerton still has many streets that lack safe biking and walking infrastructure, but the city is an example of how communities can become more bike friendly when advocates work with elected officials to push for change. In Bremerton, that advocacy push is coming from the West Sound Cycle Club and Bike Bremerton.

Washington Bikes is excited to partner with Bremerton’s bike advocacy community and its pro-bike elected officials to realize big change in years to come.

Bellevue City Council

Since 2015, Bellevue has been methodically reforming its transportation system away from a sole focus on cars. There’s a lot more to do, and a supportive council is a necessity.

The re-election of John Stokes and Janice Zahn is a sign of community support for a path to better biking. Zahn is a strong voice for multi-modal transportation and safe streets. Joining these incumbent champions is Mo Malakoutian, who spoke up for better biking during our endorsement process.

As Bike Bellevue moves forward, these bike champions will be essential to continuing progress and opposing the vocal minority who oppose street safety in Bellevue.

King County Council

Along with returning bike champions Claudia Balducci and Girmay Zahilay to office, voters selected Teresa Mosqueda and Jorge Baron to join them on the King County Council. These four WA Bikes endorsed candidates create an opportunity to strengthen King County’s commitment to safer streets and, in 2025, to send voters an ambitious parks Levy that finishes key trails in the King County Regional Trails network.

In particular, we’re excited to continue our work with Balducci, who brings creativity and a can-do attitude to making progress on trails and multi-model transportation options. We’re also looking forward to working with Teresa Mosqueda, who has been a bike champion while on the Seattle City Council.

Bothell City Council

Since the election of Amanda Dodd and Mason Thompson to City Council in 2019, Bothell has started to shed its car-centric, suburban reputation. With an ambitious bike plan adopted, thanks to those two bike champions, a new vision of Bothell is taking shape.

Carston Curd, a Bothell Planning Commission member who’s vision for Bothell aligns with Dodd’s and Thompson’s, was also elected to the City Council. We’re excited to see Bothell become a model for how suburban cities can break out of the car-centric mold and become more bikeable, walkable, safer and healthier communities.

Voting Matters!

Congratulations to our 50 elected bike champions, and thank you voters.

However, despite the favorable election results, voter turnout was low in November. Just 37 percent of registered voters returned ballots. That’s unfortunate, because we could have elected even more bike champions with higher participation.

Now the hard work starts to hold elected officials to their campaign commitments, and educate them about the need for more investments and policies that promote better biking.

Live in Seattle? Learn about the Seattle election results.

To support our work holding elected officials accountable to the needs of people who bike or want to, donate today!

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Where Does the New Seattle City Council Stand on Biking?

The election is over and now it is time to hold the new Seattle City Council members accountable for their campaign promises to support more funding for bike infrastructure and safer streets.

Big issues affecting the future of bicycling in Seattle will come before the City Council for a vote in 2024, including a new Seattle Transportation Plan and a transportation levy that will fund bike infrastructure. The good news is that all seven city councilors promised, in response to our candidate questionnaire, to vote for a levy that will “significantly fund biking, walking, and transit.”

In addition, all seven unanimously answered yes when we asked if they will prioritize the safety of people over the speed of cars. They were also unanimous in promising to include safety upgrades in all road projects.

Read our Scorecard below to see where the new City Council members stand on issues including: building bike lanes on arterial streets, funding for multi-modal investments, and creating a safe bike network in South Seattle.

Washington Bikes is hopeful that the City Council that convenes in 2024 will stand up for biking, walking, and rolling. It is the job of voters and the bicycling community to remind councilors of their promises and to push them them to make Seattle more bikeable.

We are encouraged that two of Washington Bikes’ endorsed candidates–Tammy Morales in District 2, and Dan Strauss in District 6–will be the most senior members of the City Council. Both Morales and Strauss earned our endorsement because of efforts to make their districts more bike-friendly during their current term. Now, as the two most senior council members, their leadership in this upcoming term will be critical to achieving our policy goals for biking citywide.

Below, we have compiled a scorecard of where the new City Council members stand on issues related to important bike infrastructure improvements in their individual districts.

View all the questions we asked candidates statewide and in Seattle here.

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Vote for these Candidates, Hold the Winners Accountable

WA Bikes recently announced its biggest slate of endorsements to date. This is a huge local election year that will shape the bikeability of Washington state for years to come. Vote for the candidates in your community that we’ve endorsed below, return your ballot by Nov. 7, and then remain engaged with the winners.

Advocacy doesn’t stop on Election Day. We must hold our elected leaders accountable for the promises they make during election season.

Below are the questionnaire responses we received from candidates in races we endorsed for the General Election. Incumbent candidates endorsed in the primary did not complete questionnaires. 

Bellevue

Bellingham

Bremerton

Bothell

Edmonds

Everett

Issaquah

Kenmore

King County

Kirkland

Lynwood

Port Angeles

Poulsbo

Redmond

Renton

Sammamish

SeaTac

Seattle

Snohomish County

Spokane

Tacoma

Vancouver

Whatcom County

Woodinville

Yakima

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Vote for these Bike-Friendly Candidates in November: WA Bikes 2023 Endorsements

  • Washington Bikes has selected candidates from across the state for the 2023 General Election who are committed to building a bikeable future. Vote by Nov. 7.

The bikeability of Washington state is on the ballot in November. To ensure voters have the information they need to choose the most bike-friendly candidates in races across the state, Washington Bikes is announcing its most complete list ever of 2023 General Election endorsements.

From Bainbridge Island to Bremerton, Seattle to Spokane, Tacoma to Vancouver and Yakima, we have chosen candidates whom we believe will advance our vision of a future where everyone who needs or wants to get around by bike can do so safely and comfortably.

This election cycle is critical due to the many new faces on ballots in communities statewide. Voters have an opportunity to select individuals who support more sidewalks, safe routes to schools, bike lanes, and trails. 

In Spokane, we have selected four City Council candidates and a mayoral candidate. Electing bike-friendly candidates is vital for the future of Spokane, and we urge voters to  cast their ballots for mayoral challenger Lisa Brown.

Bremerton is poised to elect a bike-friendly supermajority, including re-electing current champions and bringing another aboard. Big decisions loom on how to rebuild Bremerton’s streets and create more safe bike routes. That’s why we’ve chosen Denise Frey, Jane Rebelowski, and Anna Mockler.

Tacoma has major goals to expand its bike network, thanks to its Climate Action Plan, and bike champion Kristina Walker as well as Olgy Diaz are best poised to move the city forward.

In Seattle, all five City Council district seats are on the ballot. Several key transportation issues will come before the council in 2024, including adoption of the new transportation plan, and sending a transportation funding package to the voters. Electing bike friendly leaders in Seattle is critical to plans and funding that center biking, walking, and transit options that are safe and equitable.

In addition to this Endorsements Cheat Sheet below, you can read the full questionnaire responses from all endorsed candidates here.

In addition to the cities listed above, we’ve chosen candidates in Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Edmonds, Everett, Issaquah, Kenmore, King County, Kirkland, Lynwood, Mercer Island, Port Angeles, Poulsbo, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Snohomish County, Tukwila, Whatcom County, and Woodinville–and for the Port of Seattle.

View our Endorsements Cheat Sheet below to see the candidates in your community that Washington Bikes believes will advance our shared priorities of a more walkable, bikeable, rollable, and transit-friendly Washington state. The image may take a few seconds to load. 

We are in the final stretch toward Election Day! Are you ready to vote?

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Seattle Voters: Elect Morales and Lewis; See our Bike Policy Scorecard

Washington Bikes is endorsing Tammy Morales and Andrew Lewis for Seattle City Council and urging Seattle voters to view our Election Scorecards before filling out their ballots.

The 2023 Seattle City Council elections will determine the future of safe and connected bicycling in the city. All seven of the City Council districts are on the ballot, which means a lot of new faces to represent the city. Incumbents are stepping down in four districts.

Washington Bikes has worked to educate candidates about bike-friendly policies and to inform them about our sister organization Cascade Bicycle Club’s top Seattle policy priorities. With 45 candidates on the ballot, we are publishing scorecards to help voters decide who will best support bike-friendly policies.

Eighty percent of candidates responded to our questionnaire, and our scorecard shows that a supermajority of candidates support safer biking in Seattle.

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

Bike and Multimodal Issues Facing the Next City Council:

  • Renewal of the Transportation Levy which is a major fund source for new sidewalks and bike routes, as well as other transportation investments.
  • Reducing the spike in traffic violence, especially deaths and injuries of people biking and walking.
  • Many important bike and pedestrian projects need championing so that they are completed.

Washington Bikes endorses two Seattle candidates who have demonstrated their commitment to safer streets over the last four years:

  • District 2, Tammy Morales. Morales has been vocal about the need for safer streets in District 2, which has the highest proportion of crashes and the fewest bike lanes. Morales has championed funding for better-protected bike lanes in South Seattle, and she backed an effort requiring that the Seattle Department of Transportation study closing some of Lake Washington Boulevard to motor vehicles. She also supports funding the completion of the Georgetown to South Park Trail. We must return Morales to the City Council to continue leading this work. 
  • District 7, Andrew Lewis. Lewis has been a strong supporter of bike and pedestrian improvements in District 7, and in identifying new revenue to expedite building safer streets. In 2021, Lewis identified millions in ongoing new revenue to fund the Vision Zero program, and we know he’ll be an important voice and vote for prioritizing safety in the city budget. 

Washington Bikes, Cascade Bicycle Club, and our partners hosted three candidate forums that you can watch here to learn more about where candidates stand on mobility, transportation, and equity issues. District 1 forum. District 3 forum. District 5 forum.

If you’re new to Washington state or recently moved, register to vote online by July 24 for the Aug. 1 Primary, or register to vote in person by 8 p.m on Aug. 1.

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Announcing Washington Bikes’ Primary Endorsements

  • Voters will choose new city councils this November, with hundreds of races all across Washington. County Council and Mayoral elections will be held in some communities too.
  • Washington Bikes endorses candidates who support bike friendly policies and investments.
  • Our first slate of endorsements are elected bike champions within the Puget Sound Region.

It’s often said that all politics is local, and we couldn’t agree more – especially when it comes to transportation. City (and County) leaders decide on community funding priorities, and pass policies like Vision Zero and Complete Streets. Washington Bikes endorses bike friendly candidates for office to help voters know who their leaders are.

True bike champions aren’t just following the playbook and voting for policies to make communities safer and more accessible for people to walk and bike – they’re pushing the envelope and opening the door to new ideas. Champions spearhead ideas among their peers and advocate to make them happen. Bike champions also know that they don’t have all the answers –  they listen to and collaborate with advocates and constituents.

That is why Washington Bikes is excited to endorse these 20 Puget Sound bike champions for office. Some of these candidates will have a Primary Election on August 1. Others will show up on the ballot for the November 7 General Election. Between now and Election Day, we encourage you to show up for these candidates in any way you can, because we know they’ll be showing up for people who bike if and when they win their election. 

Washington Bikes is proud to endorse the following candidates for office:

Washington Bikes will be rolling out more endorsements closer to the election. If you want to recommend one of your elected leaders to Washington Bikes for endorsement, drop us a line at info@wabikes.org and let us know who is a leader in your community and what they’ve been doing to make biking safer and more accessible. 

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2023 Legislative Highlights: E-Bike Rebates, Statewide Bike Education Funding, More Money for Infrastructure

  • The state budget fulfilled funding commitments in last year’s Move Ahead WA package–with big increases for safe streets programs, and new youth bike education programs. 
  • Our policy focus on addressing epidemic of traffic violence resulted in some wins, but much more work to do.

The 2023 Washington state legislative session included some big wins for bike education and infrastructure, and for boosting electric bike usage, but legislators missed an opportunity to enact comprehensive traffic safety reforms supported by Washington Bikes.

With traffic deaths and serious injuries at a 30-year high in Washington state, WA Bikes entered the 2023 legislative session with traffic safety as a top priority. Our other top goal was to ensure the legislature funded its commitments in the 2022 Move Ahead Washington transportation package.  

Move Ahead Washington: Funding Promises Kept

Budget dollars for the next two years include:

  • More than $72 million for the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program;
  • Approximately $73 million for the Safe Routes to School Program;
  • $25 million for Connecting Communities funding;
  • $27 million to fund the creation of the new School-Based Bike Safety Education Program.

All of the programs above invest in measures that will improve the safety of people walking and bicycling. Thanks to bike champions in the state Legislature, this budget allows the creation of more bike infrastructure. It also recognizes that teaching bike skills to our youth statewide will benefit society and public health in years to come.

“History shows that more people will use bikes for transportation if you create safe places to ride.” It was great to see the Legislature allocate money for more Safe Routes to School and bike infrastructure that connects communities in ways that make it safer and easier for more people to bike and walk,” said Washington Bikes Policy Director Vicky Clarke. 

Another victory is the allocation of $7 million for electric bike incentives and rebates. Read more about the e-bike incentives in our previous post.

Traffic Safety Legislation: More Work in Coming Years

Unfortunately, the Legislature passed only a few of the many traffic safety bills introduced in the House and Senate. A growing number of people traveling on Washington roadways–especially people walking–are being killed or seriously injured.

Two important bills championed by Washington Bikes to reduce traffic violence were enacted. They will:

  • Get known bad drivers off our streets by requiring that all drivers found at fault for causing a serious injury or death have their licenses suspended until they can retake and pass the state driving test. 
  • Require the state Department of Licensing to develop a plan for expanding driver education requirements for people aged 18 to 24. Currently, people who wait until age 18 to get their license are not required to take driver education courses, which are shown to improve the driving habits of young people–who are statistically the most dangerous drivers.

“We were heartened to see some movement on policies that make our streets safer. But we need more action. Many of the bills in our traffic safety agenda–such as restricting right turns on red near schools and busy crosswalks–did not win legislative approval,” Clarke said. “We will work to win support for traffic safety measures in future years because we know that when streets are safer for all users they are a lot safer for people walking and biking.”

Despite the state’s failure to pass #WrongOnRed legislation, Seattle showed leadership by announcing in early May that it will ban right turns on red at downtown intersections. In the future, red-light turn restrictions will be phased in across the city. 

Washington Bikes sought to restrict right turns on red across the state because crosswalks and intersections are among the most dangerous locations. While these restrictions failed in the Legislature, legislators included funding in the state budget for cities to gather data on how people walking, biking, and driving interact at intersections. This data will help inform cities on how to make intersections safer. 

Climate Policy is Transportation Policy

The Legislature also passed HB1110 that requires medium and large cities to consider climate in their Comprehensive Plans, and to include strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled. Building connected bike networks and creating zoning codes that require communities to grow such that they a increasingly bikeable, walkable, and accessible to mass transit can reduce car trips and climate pollution. As rulemaking for HB1110 begins, Washington Bikes will work to ensure that bicycling for transportation remains a top priority. 

In the coming months we’ll be working with allies and legislative champions to identify top priorities in the 2024 session to keep moving forward on safer biking and walking.

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Electric Bike Rebates Coming to Washington State

  • The WA state Legislature approved $5 million for rebates of up to $1,200 for electric bike purchases.
  • State budget also includes $2 million for the creation of e-bike lending programs.

Washington state has become the eighth state to approve rebates or incentives for purchasing electric bikes, an important tool to get more people out of cars and onto bicycles for climate, equity, and sustainability goals.

Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed into law a budget package that will appropriate up to $7 million over the next two years to support the purchase of electric bikes and create e-bike “lending libraries.”

The incentive program will allow e-bike buyers to get a $300 point-of-sale rebate regardless of their income. Individuals with lower incomes can receive rebates of up to $1,200. Households with incomes at or below 80 percent of their county’s median income would qualify for the higher rebate.

The proposed law would allot $5 million for these rebates. Purchases would have to be made at brick-and-mortar bike shops rather than online, and bike-related equipment could qualify for the rebates.

An additional $2 million would be used to create e-bike lending programs managed by municipalities, businesses, tribes, or nonprofits.

These electric bike incentives were a top policy priority for Washington Bikes, which has made the case that e-bikes are an affordable and equitable way to reduce climate pollution from transportation.

“This state investment in e-bike accessibility means that many more Washingtonians will have the opportunity to own or borrow an e-bike, whatever their income level,” said Vicky Clarke, Washington Bikes policy director. “Electric bikes empower people to get around affordably, sustainably, and efficiently without a motor vehicle. These investments will reduce Washington state’s climate pollution from transportation by enabling more people to hang up the car keys and pedal instead.”

In the coming months, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Division will develop the two incentive programs, likely using Denver’s successful rebate program as a model. It’s unclear when the rebates will be available to consumers. 

“The state now has a lot of work to implement these incentive programs, and we hope they will be available to consumers in 2024,” Clarke said. 

A Growing National Movement for E-Bikes

Washington state’s e-bike incentives are modeled on successful programs in other states and municipalities including Denver’s highly popular point-of-sale rebate.

Washington joins California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont with statewide e-bike incentive programs, according to the Transportation Research and Education Center at Portland State University. These statewide programs are among 142 proposed or active rebate and incentive programs offered by states, provinces, municipalities, electric utilities, nonprofits and businesses across North America, according to the center’s electric bike incentive tracker.  

Many studies show that people who own e-bikes drive less, and some give up car ownership altogether. 

“Kudos to legislators and the governor for approving this expenditure, and especially to Senate Transportation Chair, Marko Liias, for prioritizing these incentives in a challenging budget year,” said Clarke. “We also thank Senator Sharon Shewmake–an avid e-biker herself–for her leadership shaping and supporting these state-level e-bike incentives for the past several years.”

Shewmake, D-Bellingham, commutes by e-bike to her job as a professor of environmental economics at Western State University. Shewmake has said that promoting electric bike use not only reduces climate pollution but also eliminates the hassles of parking, steep car payments, and urban traffic congestion.

E-Bike Lending Libraries

Clarke said the lending programs will help boost electric bike use by enabling people who aren’t ready for ownership to nevertheless get access to e-bikes–whether via long- or short-term loans, or even loan-to-buy arrangements.

“Washington Bikes and our partner organization Cascade Bicycle Club are excited to work with the state and all interested parties on how to create these e-bike lending programs,” Clarke said. “Car-share programs have proven that it’s not necessary for people to own motor vehicles, which can be a huge expense and hassle for many families who only occasionally need to use a motor vehicle.”

“The e-bike lending programs work on the same principle. We think they will be a great solution for e-bike curious individuals or families who may want to see how an e-bike fits into their lifestyle before purchasing one, or for people who need a short-term mobility option other than a car,” Clarke said.

Why E-Bikes?

Hugely popular in bike-friendly European nations, e-bikes sales are growing rapidly in the United States. E-bikes must be pedaled like regular bikes, but they provide a boost that amplifies a rider’s power, making them a practical solution for replacing cars for commuting and running errands, especially in the hilly Pacific Northwest.

Supporters of the e-bike incentives in Washington state pointed to the costly and generous subsidies the state and federal government have provided to the buyers of electric cars as a precedent for passing this legislation into law. 

“Electric bikes are ideal for reducing many of the short trips and in-town errands that people currently do by motor vehicle, and they provide a public health boost as well,” Clarke said.

More than 45 percent of car trips in the United States are three miles or less, according to the National Household Travel Survey, while more than 20 percent are one mile or less. Many of these trips could be accomplished with an electric bike. 

A survey of e-bike owners by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities shows that, once people have an electric bike, they use their cars less. Electric bike owners ride more often, and they feel safer riding the streets on an electric bike than a traditional bicycle. 

The big boost for our climate that e-bikes provide: respondents said that 76 percent of their e-bike trips would have otherwise been made by car.

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Let’s Make Driving Less Deadly for People Biking

  • Washington Bikes is moving bills that would reduce impaired driving, impose restrictions on drivers who injure people biking or walking, increase access to driver education, and toughen penalties for drivers who kill or injure others.
  • Read our update on our WA Bikes 2023 legislative agenda.

Last year was the deadliest on Washington state roads since 1990. The number of people being killed or injured by motor vehicles while walking, bicycling, or rolling has spiked upward to rates not seen in decades. 

Washington Bikes is fighting to stem this crisis of traffic violence by compelling legislators in Olympia to approve common sense laws and reforms during the 2023 session that would:

  • increase access to driver education;
  • remove dangerous drivers from the road;
  • reduce drunk or impaired driving;
  • impose stiffer penalties on drivers who kill or injure others.

“Our streets should be getting safer but in fact they are becoming deadlier. Many of the norms of safe driving have broken down since the pandemic. We are seeing more speeding, more reckless and impaired driving, more road rage, and more hit-and-run crashes,” says Vicky Clarke, Washington Bikes policy director. 

“We need more protected bike infrastructure, more sidewalks, more traffic calming and more complete streets that are engineered to prevent drivers from making deadly mistakes,” Clarke says. “Those improvements will take time. We must also act now to change driver behaviors in ways that make them safer and more aware.”

Not all safety bills made it past initial cutoff deadlines, including our #WrongOnRed bill aimed at improving the safety of intersections and crosswalks for people biking and walking, and a bill that would have educated consumers on the dangers of bigger, heavier vehicles. Read on for an update on the WA Bikes 2023 legislative agenda at the midpoint of the legislative session.

WA Bikes Priority Bill: Get Bad Drivers off the Road

Senate Bill 5216 and House Bill 1319 would require a driver’s license to be reviewed when the driver crashes into someone walking or biking and causes “substantial bodily harm,” a legal term that includes broken bones or worse. 

“Under current law you can crash into someone walking or riding their bike, break their arm or leg, and as long as you don’t kill or permanently disfigure them, you get to keep your license without any review by the state. That’s bananas,” Clarke says. “Driving is a privilege, not a right, and with that privilege comes the responsibility to avoid crashing into innocent victims. Frankly, it’s a pretty low bar.”

Also Support: Penalties for Reckless Drivers who Injure or Kill

HB 1112 would increase penalties for deadly driving. Under current law, a driver who kills a vulnerable road user can escape stiff penalties if they admit guilt.

This bill would create a new offense of Negligent Driving with a Vulnerable User Victim. A violation of this law would be a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days of imprisonment, a fine of no less than $1,000, and the suspension of driving privileges for 90 days. 

“People who cause a death while driving in a negligent and dangerous manner should be held accountable,” Clarke says.

We Support: Safer Young Drivers, Decriminalizing Walking

Data shows that driver education works. In Washington state, however, people who wait until age 18 to get a license are not required to take a driver education course.

SB5430 would create a voucher program to cover the average cost of driver’s education courses for persons in low-income households who have not previously obtained a motor vehicle license. This bill would improve both safety and equity.

Walking across the street shouldn’t be a crime. That’s why we support HB1428 to allow people to walk across the street when it’s safe to do so. It’s time to repeal the crime of “jaywalking,” which has historically been used to disproportionately target people of color. 

We Support: Lowering the Blood-Alcohol Limit

Drunken or impaired drivers are responsible for more than half of all traffic fatalities. Washington Bikes supports a bill to reduce the legal blood-alcohol limit to .05.

The goal of SB 5002 is to change behavior and make people think twice before getting behind the wheel when drinking. If approved, the state would develop a public information campaign to make the public aware of the law change. 

“With the popularity of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, it has never been easier to get a sober ride home,” Clarke says. “Take a taxi, designate a sober driver if you’re out with friends or family, use public transit or walk.”

Critics say this proposed law won’t work. Data shows otherwise. Traffic fatalities decreased in Utah after that state lowered its legal limit to .05, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study. Other groups including the National Academy of Sciences, the National Safety Council, the National Transportation Safety Board, theWashington Traffic Safety Commission, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving agree that .05 saves lives.

#WrongonRed, Higher Fees for Deadlier Vehicles

Washington Bikes worked with legislators to draft bills that would restrict right turns on red near schools and at certain intersections where lots of people use the crosswalks. Crosswalks should be safe places. Instead, they are one of the most dangerous locations for people biking and walking. 

Drivers of vehicles making right turns at red lights frequently do not stop or look both ways as required by law. Instead, they roll through without checking if vulnerable road users are present–with dangerous consequences.

Our #WrongonRed bills failed to get voted out of House and Senate committees despite overwhelmingly supportive public comments. “We hope to revive these bills in coming sessions once hesitant legislators have had more time to learn about this issue,” Clarke says.

Another bill that appears dead for the session is one that proposed increasing fees for the heaviest and deadliest vehicles that pose the greatest risk to people biking and walking. 

“Automobile safety regulation is a federal issue, and we urge Congress to take a look at this issue. There are technologies being deployed in other countries such as pedestrian airbags and devices that can save the lives of people who are hit by motor vehicles,” Clarke says.

The Climate Emergency and Bicycling

Biking for transportation has incredible potential to both reduce climate pollution and improve the resiliency, health, and sustainability of our communities. 

That’s why Washington Bikes supports SB5452, which would allow communities to use impact fees charged to developers to pay for bicycle infrastructure improvements.

Washington Bikes also supports efforts to strengthen the groundbreaking Climate Commitment Act approved in 2021 that creates a program for reducing climate pollution from some of the state’s largest polluters. Revenues would be spent on a host of initiatives including efforts to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, and to fund a statewide school-based bike education curriculum for our state’s youth.

Keep up to date on our priority legislation in our Washington Bikes Bill Tracker, and sign up for Action Alerts and our e-newsletter to stay informed about upcoming votes.

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WA Bikes Bills Would Restrict Right Turns on Red, Re-Test Bad Drivers

  • Two of Washington Bikes’ high-priority safety bills have been introduced in the state Legislature, with hopes for passage this year. 

Protecting people who bike and walk is simple, really.

Every driver who seriously injures someone walking or bicycling should lose their license until they can pass a driving test. And right turns on red should be restricted at intersections near schools and in locations with heavy pedestrian and bike use.

That’s the gist of Washington Bikes’ two highest-priority bills introduced in the legislative session that convened in Olympia on Jan. 9. 

In addition to these bills, Washington Bikes is supporting a host of other legislation to:

  • address the public health crisis of traffic violence;
  • increase the climate resilience of our communities by making them more bikeable;
  • expand affordable access to e-bikes;
  • ensure adequate funding for safer bicycling statewide.

Washington Bikes encourages everyone who supports safer streets and a more bikeable state to participate in our WA Bikes Lobby Day on Feb. 6. Lobby Day takes place all day at activists’ convenience. Our policy team will share the resources and talking points to connect community members to their legislators.

WA Bikes made great strides towards a bikeable state in last year’s legislative session, including more than $1 billion for safer bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails. That progress would not have been possible without community voices alongside us in Olympia. “This session, we need your help making sure leaders hold true to those investments and pass policies to keep people on bikes safe,” says Community Organizer Tamar Shuhendler. 

Sign up for Lobby Day on Feb. 6. We’ll provide you with tools to help set up meetings with legislators, and to effectively communicate your story to them.

“Attending Lobby Day is even more important this year because there are many new legislators following the November election,” Shuhendler says.

Top Priorities for Safer Bicycling

Washington state is experiencing a traffic safety crisis. Fatalities are at a 30-year high, and vulnerable road users are being injured and killed at rates unseen in decades. That’s why our legislative priorities for 2023 include a focus on policy changes to reduce traffic violence

In the run up to this legislative session, we’ve worked with legislators to draft bills that achieve this goal. Below are the high-priority legislative efforts we are pushing during this session.

#WrongonRed

Crosswalks should be safe spaces for people biking, walking, and rolling. Unfortunately, crosswalks are among the most dangerous locations. More than 20 percent of people hit by motor vehicles while biking or walking are in crosswalks. This is due in large part to vehicles turning right at red lights.

SB5514 sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, would restrict right turns on red at school, library, and community center intersections with the heaviest amount of bike and foot traffic. The bill would not ban all right turns on red, but would rather outlaw them at intersections in dense urban cores where people walking, biking, and rolling through crosswalks face the greatest danger from inattentive drivers.

Bad Driver Re-Testing

Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, is lead sponsor on a bill to require drivers who have hit and injured someone walking or bicycling to lose their license until they can be re-tested.The Legislature passed a bill that intended to do this as part of the Cooper Jones Act in 1998, but due to a problem with the process of sharing information between police and the Department of Licensing, many drivers are not being re-tested. 

HB1319 would fix this technical problem and ensure the law is followed.   

Educated Drivers are Better Drivers

Data show that a third of all serious crashes in Washington state involve drivers between the ages of 18 and 25. Data also show that young people who take driver’s education are safer behind the wheel. That’s why we support expanding driver education for all new drivers. 

Under current law, people who wait until age 18 to get their driver’s license can skip driver ed classes. Sponsored by Sen. Shewmake, D-Bellingham, SB5430 would create a voucher program for young people within low-income households to access affordable driver’s education. “We support this bill because educated drivers are better drivers,” Shuhendler says.

Bikeable Communities are More Resilient to Climate Change

Bikeable and walkable communities are more climate resilient. That’s why Washington Bikes supports legislation (SB 5093 and SB 5203) to reform how cities and counties plan for housing and transportation.

“Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington state,” Shuhendler says,  “and this legislation would jumpstart the process of planning communities that are less car-dependent and where people can make more trips by walking, biking, and transit.”

Invest in Safe Places to Walk, Bike, and Roll for Transportation and Recreation

Last year’s Move Ahead Washington transportation package was a historic achievement in terms of funding for biking and walking infrastructure and programs. Now, we are working to ensure that the commitments made in Move Ahead Washington receive funding–and that legislators don’t try to siphon off the $1.3 billion in bike, walk, and roll funding for other purposes.

“WA Bikes Lobby Day on Feb. 6 will be an important opportunity to tell legislators that you support Move Ahead Washington and its investments in a more bike-friendly state” Shuhendler says. 

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Announcing WA Bikes’ 2023 Legislative Agenda

  • Limit right turns on red
  • Reduce the legal blood alcohol limit
  • Curb the largest and deadliest vehicles.


In early January, the Washington State Legislature will convene for a “long-session” of 105 days, all in-person for the first time since 2020. Between Jan. 9 and April 24 state leaders will be humming to the tune of Schoolhouse Rock (or is that just us?) as they work to pass bills into law.

We are excited to work with Bike Champions in the Senate and House Transportation Committees and across the Legislature to advance policies in four areas to make biking safer and more accessible for all.

Invest in safe places to walk, bike, and roll for transportation and recreation:

  • Protect investments for bike and pedestrian grant funding in the state transportation budget and through the Move Ahead Washington transportation package. We will educate legislators on the importance of Move Ahead funding in their communities, and protect statewide bike education funding.
  • Support Washington State Parks’ capital budget funding request to protect and rehabilitate trail connections throughout our state.
  • Support Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program funding request in the capital budget to improve outdoor recreation opportunities, develop trails, and enhance state parks.

Enact new policies to make our streets safer for people biking, walking, and rolling:

  • Support legislation to improve street safety and infrastructure that safeguards and prioritizes people walking, biking, and rolling.
  • Traffic fatalities and injuries continue to trend in the wrong direction, especially for vulnerable road users. We will advocate for strategies to reduce traffic violence, including:
    • Lower Washington state’s legal blood-alcohol limit for driving to 0.05.
    • Make dangerous intersections safer by outlawing right turns on red in urban areas and locations with high foot and bike traffic.
    • Require driver education as a condition of getting a license, and fund equitable access to training.
    • Decriminalize jaywalking.
    • Raise fees for the deadliest vehicles.

Grow the number and types of people who can bike:

  • Lower barriers to electric bike ownership. E-bikes are an efficient and affordable car-replacement due to their pedal-assist that enables longer rides, makes it easier to climb hills, and provides power to carry groceries or children. E-bikes are bicycles with superhero powers. Seventy-six percent of trips taken by e-bike owners would have been car trips prior to owning an e-bike. By reducing car trips, e-bikes can help Washington state meet its transportation congestion and climate goals.

Build climate resilient communities connected by bike

  • Support legislation that updates the Growth Management Act by including climate resiliency strategies, and which provide everyone with safe, seamless and affordable transportation options. Safe and seamless biking infrastructure reduces motor vehicle miles traveled, and it should be a core goal of county and city comprehensive plans. Increasing the number of people who bike, walk, and roll reduces greenhouse gas emissions, decreases air pollution, improves public health, and boosts the economy.
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Election Results 2022: Bike Champions Head to Olympia!

The full slate of WA Bikes’ endorsed candidates secured seats in the 2023 Legislature in this November’s general election. We’re excited to roll up our sleeves alongside them this coming session to advance policies that make streets safer for all.

The full slate of WA Bikes’ endorsed candidates secured seats in the 2023 state Legislature in this November’s general election. We’re excited to roll up our sleeves alongside them this coming session to advance policies that make streets safer for all.

This November, all across Washington State House and Senate seats were on the ballot. More specifically: half of the Senate’s 49 seats and all 98 House seats were up for election. With numerous incumbents stepping down, 2022 marked a big election year, an opportunity for new leadership to move biking forward, and many new voices on the ballot. 

Four things to know about the election results:

  • All 30 of Washington Bikes’ endorsed candidates won their races, with champions like Senators Marko Liias and Emily Randall headed back to Olympia to continue their important work, and new candidates like Representatives Julia Reed, Sharlett Mena, and Darya Farivar whom we’re excited to work with for the first time to advance our shared agenda.

  • Transportation Committee Leaders understand the needs and importance of active transportation. Chairs Sen. Marko Liias (21st – Everett) and Rep. Jake Fey (27th – Tacoma) retain their leadership roles. These two architects of the Move Ahead Washington package, which included monumental investment in active transportation investment, are important voices in the transportation committee and delivered legislation that reflects the values of improving safety and creating an inclusive, multimodal system. In the Senate Transportation Committee, newly appointed Vice Chairs, Senator-elect Sharon Shewmake (moved over from the House) and Sen. John Lovick are committed champions of transportation and mobility access. The House is yet to announce committee assignments.

  • An increasingly diverse legislature at this critical time: In particular we were excited to connect with and endorse Darya Farivar (46th – North Seattle). Farivar is the youngest state Legislature member and the first woman of Iranian descent elected to the state House in Washington. A breadth of perspectives among our legislature is essential to passing laws that support the needs of all – not just those who’ve been given the most access historically.

  • More Bike Champions take on leadership roles. Several Senate Bike Champions have new leadership roles. 
    • Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (34th – West Seattle) is now the House Majority Leader. Fitzgibbon was the prime bill sponsor on WA Bikes’ priority legislation in 2020 to enact the Safety Stop (allowing bikes to yield at stop signs when safe, which has been enacted in several other states since).  
    • Sen. T’wina Nobles (34th – incl. Lakewood & Tacoma) is now Senate Majority Caucus Whip. Nobles is a vocal advocate for safe biking and walking infrastructure and has been a key ally as we work to make Washington state a safer place to bike, walk, and roll. 
    • Sen. Emily Randall (26th – Bremerton) is now Deputy Majority Leader. Randall has been an important voice for active transportation connectivity, including lead sponsoring the Vulnerable Road User law passed in 2019. During Move Ahead WA negotiations Randall helped ensure that Kitsap County’s Gorst Bottleneck – the biggest mobility issue in the County – includes dollars to study a long-sought and long-stymied bike/ped connection. 
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Wrong on Red: Policy Changes to Reduce Traffic Violence

  • Washington Bikes announces its legislative and policy agenda for reducing traffic violence and protecting vulnerable road users.
  • Restrict right turns on red, lower the legal blood-alcohol limit, mandate driver education, speed up investments in sidewalks and protected bike lanes, and raise fees for the heaviest and deadliest vehicles.

Washington Bikes and a coalition of bike and pedestrian safety advocates, elected officials, and family members who have lost loved ones to traffic violence held three press conferences Monday (Nov. 21) to demand state and local action and policy changes to address the growing public health crisis of motor vehicles killing people bicycling and walking.

Speaking at the events in Seattle, Everett, and Pierce County, Washington Bikes called on legislators to approve four policy changes:

  • Lower Washington state’s legal blood-alcohol limit to 0.05.
  • Make dangerous intersections safer by outlawing right-on-red turns in areas with high foot and bike traffic.
  • Require driver education as a condition of getting a license.
  • Raise fees for the deadliest vehicles.

Speakers at the press conferences included:

  • Amber Weilert, whose 13-year-old son, Michael, was killed by a motor vehicle in a Pierce County crosswalk in July; 
  • Claudia Mason (pictured above), widow of Robb Mason who was killed by a hit-and-run driver while bicycling in Seattle in July; 

Other speakers included Seattle City Councilor Teresa Mosqueda (pictured below); Everett City Councilors Paula Rhyne and Liz Vogeli, Snohomish County Councilor Megan Dunn, Tacoma City Councilor Kristina Walker, Pierce County Councilor Ryan Mello, and representatives from the Washington State Department of Transportation, as well as advocates including the Snohomish County Transportation Coalition and Tacoma’s Downtown on the Go. 

Executive Director Lee Lambert and Policy Director Vicky Clarke spoke on behalf of Washington Bikes. In addition to policy changes, speakers talked about the emotional trauma of losing loved ones, highlighted data that shows a deadly upward trend of preventable fatalities, and called for greater public awareness and media attention to traffic violence.

The three press conferences came one day following World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday, Nov. 20. Following the Seattle press conference, a group of people on bikes pedaled to City Hall, where Seattle Neighborhood Greenways representatives set out 190 pairs of shoes to represent the 190 people who have died in the city in vehicle crashes since 2015, when the city adopted a goal of zero serious injuries and fatalities by 2030. 

Deadlier Roads Statistics

  • Motor vehicles have killed at least 17 people walking and bicycling so far this year in Seattle, with a spike in hit-and-run deaths and injuries.
  • 190 people have died on Seattle streets since the city announced its Vision Zero commitment.
  • Statewide there were 159 fatal crashes involving people walking or bicycling in 2021, the highest number in a decade, according to preliminary data. 
  • Pierce County saw the worst increase of any Washington community in traffic violence from 2020 to 2021, with more than 98 people dying. 22 pedestrians died in Pierce County in 2021.
  • There have been 40 fatal crashes within Snohomish County this year as of Nov. 3, marking an upward trend since 2013. Seven fatal crashes including five fatal crashes involving pedestrians occurred on the SR99 corridor–the most in a decade. 
  • Washington state traffic deaths in 2021 were the highest they’ve been in two decades. In 2022 the state is on pace for the highest number of traffic deaths in 30 years. Deaths are rising fastest for people walking and biking. Between 2020 and 2021 we saw a more than 30 percent increase in deaths of people biking and walking, with a larger increase in fatalities of Black, American Indian and Alaska Native individuals.
Ghost Bike at 4th and Holgate
Ghost bike across the street from the SODO press conference location.

Factors Driving Increased Fatalities

Washington Bikes has identified multiple factors causing the epidemic of traffic violence:

  • Worsening driver behavior including an increase in speeding, distracted and impaired driving, hit-and-run incidents, road rage, and a breakdown in the norms of safe driving.
  • Poorly designed roadways that lack safe infrastructure for people biking and walking, and which prioritize the fast-movement of motor vehicles.
  • A proliferation of larger and deadlier vehicles that are more likely to kill people biking and walking.

Washington Bikes Policy Proposals

Washington Bikes will work with legislators and local elected officials to push the following policy proposals:

  • Point-Zero-Five Saves Lives: Lower the legal blood-alcohol limit for driving to 0.05 percent.
    • Roughly half of crashes involve drunk or impaired drivers, and that number is rising. Utah implemented this change and saw an immediate reduction in impaired driving. More than 100 countries have a 0.05 limit, or lower.
  • Wrong on Red. Eliminate right turns on red in areas with high foot traffic and alongside bike lanes.
    • Intersections are the most dangerous places for people walking and biking. More than 80 percent of crashes in Seattle occur at intersections, and more than one in five crashes statewide. 
  • Educate Young Drivers: Require driver education as a condition of getting a license.
    • A third of fatal and serious injury crashes involve drivers under the age of 25. Washington residents are allowed to skip driver education if they get a license after the age of 18, and fewer than half of young drivers have received driver education in our state.  
  • Heavier is Deadlier: Increase fees for larger, deadlier vehicles to pay for safety education campaigns. 

Quotes from Speakers:

  • Claudia Mason, pictured above with attorney Bob Anderton holding a photo of Robb: “Since Robb was killed my life has been devastated.”
  • Seattle City Councilor Teresa Mosqueda: “We are trying to encourage more people to be able to get to the places they need to go using a bicycle and alternative modes of transportation. And we need to make that choice safe. Because right now for so many people who don’t have the option of owning a vehicle or reliable transit, we are forcing them onto unsafe streets. We are forcing them into situations where they are risking their lives everyday.”
  • Vicky Clarke: “This is a statewide problem, and that is why in 2023 we are calling on the state Legislature to enact the policy changes that we know will alleviate the leading causes of crashes.”
A group of riders pedaled from the news conference at the deadly intersection of 4th and Holgate in SODO to City Hall.
Seattle Deputy Mayor Greg Wong (above right in red jacket) spoke at the press conference and joined the ride to City Hall.
The 190 pairs of empty shoes, including some with flowers, provided a powerful visual reminder of the traffic violence in Seattle–and across the state and nation.
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Complete Streets are Coming to Washington

  • A new law that went into effect July 1 requires Washington state highway planners to implement “Complete Streets” designs on projects over $500,000.
  • Learn more about this huge shift in how we design state highway projects to make Washington safer for biking and active transportation during the Washington Bike, Walk, Roll Summit.

They’re known pejoratively as “stroads,” poorly designed city roads that favor high-speed traffic over bikeability, walkability, and safety.

Washington state, and communities across the United States, are filled with stroads due to outdated transportation policies that prioritize motor vehicle traffic over active transportation.

But a huge change is coming that makes Washington state a national leader in the movement to transform unsafe stroads into Complete Streets that enhance safety.

A new state law that went into effect on July 1 requires state transportation projects costing more than $500,000 to incorporate Complete Streets principles into their design. The goal is to improve safety, mobility, and accessibility for all road users.

Learn more about this paradigm-shifting law on Sept. 28 during the three-day virtual Washington Bike, Walk, Roll Summit, which takes place this year from Wednesday to Friday, Sept. 28-30, and resumes on Monday Oct. 3. Register for the free Summit here.

On Sept. 28, officials from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will explain the impacts of this new law during their presentation, “Complete Streets Requirements for State Transportation Projects.” City planners, transportation consultants, biking and walking advocates, academics, and all concerned citizens are invited to attend the free session, which will be presented by WSDOT staff members Celeste Gilman and Kenneth Loen.

State Transportation Secretary Roger Millar will give a welcome address on Monday, Oct. 4, followed by a workshop with state and federal transportation officials titled “Show us the Money,” which will offer advice on how communities can tap state and federal dollars.

What’s a Complete Street?

Complete Streets are the antidote to dangerous, ugly, and expensive “stroads” and incomplete streets.

“Incomplete streets are the result of a process that fails to consider the needs of all people,” according to Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition. “The end product is a street that spans a spectrum from uncomfortable to downright deadly for those not using a car.”

Think of Aurora Avenue in Seattle, State Route 7 in Pierce County, and the Gorst bottleneck between Bremerton and Port Orchard in Kitsap County–or the many state highways that bisect communities.

The Complete Streets requirement was included in the Move Ahead Washington transportation funding package approved by the Washington State Legislature in early 2022. With a “historic and unprecedented” $1.3 billion in spending for protected bike lanes, multi-use trails, Safe Routes to Schools, biking and walking infrastructure, and a new statewide school-based bicycle safety education program, Move Ahead Washington makes Washington state a leader in the effort to make bicycling safer, easier, and more popular.

The Complete Streets requirement is among the most impactful measures in the Move Ahead Washington package. It directs WSDOT to “improve the safety, mobility and accessibility of state highways” through the incorporation of Complete Streets principles into projects costing more than $500,000.

“This directive will accelerate and enhance WSDOT’s efforts to become more multimodal. And it puts Washington at the forefront of the Complete Streets movement,” says Vicky Clarke, policy director for Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club. “We look forward to working with WSDOT and active transportation advocates across the state as the projects influenced by this new policy are built.”

This requirement applies to state highways–also known as State Routes that have an SR designation in their name–which pass through population centers. Learn more on the WSDOT Complete Streets landing page.

“It’s really exciting work we are getting to do here,” says Gilman, strategic policy administrator in WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division. Gilman stresses that there will be no one-size-fits-all approach, but rather that each project will differ and include direct input from communities in terms of the infrastructure they desire.

“The solutions will look different in each location. We are going to look at the context of the place and identify gaps in our walking and bicycling facilities and fill them in,” Gilman says.

A National Movement to Reduce Traffic Violence

The new state requirement comes as the Complete Streets movement gains momentum nationally. Earlier this year, the Federal Highway Administration delivered the report, “Moving to a Complete Streets Design Model,” to Congress.

The Complete Streets movement also comes amidst a rise in traffic deaths both in Washington and nationally that highlights the need for better road and highway design.

Vermont is the only other state with a Complete Streets mandate.

Register for the free virtual Washington Bike, Walk, Roll Summit to participate in this session, and check out the full Summit agenda, which will include 14 sessions with a theme of Building Just and Resilient Communities.

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Big Progress Coming on the Olympic Discovery and Great American Trails

  • Washington’s Olympic Discovery Trail is a key segment in the 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail.
  • Plans are underway to complete the “Western Gateway” to the Great American, and fill gaps on the Olympic Peninsula.
  • A new study shows the economic benefits of completing these long-distance bike trails.

A “huge milestone” is coming for Washington state’s Olympic Discovery Trail and the 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail that spans the nation.

In just a few years, people will be able to bike on a new trail from the timber town of Forks, Wash., to the oceanfront tribal community of La Push. The trail connection will provide an economic boost to the region and state by connecting the Olympic Discovery and Great American trails to the Pacific via a new “Western Gateway.”

Construction on the 11-mile segment of paved, multi-use trail from Forks to La Push should be completed within the next three years, says Jeff Bohman, president of the Peninsula Trails Coalition. Building this westernmost segment of the Great American and Olympic Discovery trails will offer people on bikes a car-free, epic start or finish to a bike ride across the Olympic Peninsula–or across the nation.

“Completing the Western Gateway will be a huge milestone that connects the Great American Rail-Trail to the Pacific Ocean,” Bohman says.

That’s good news for the state’s economy. Long-distance bike trails not only provide healthy recreational opportunities and adventure. They are a major economic engine. 

A recent study says the 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail, which is more than halfway built, will generate about $25 million in spending and 1.6 million trips within Washington state when completed.

“The return on investment is huge,” says Kevin Belanger of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit that is leading the effort to create the Great American Rail-Trail. “People on bikes buy food and water and supplies and lodgings, and there are many towns that need economic development that would benefit.”

People from around the world, as well as the 50 million Americans who live within 50 miles of the Great American, will come to bike, walk, ride horses, and explore America’s diverse landscapes when the trail is completed, Belanger says.

The Great American crosses 12 states and will be the nation’s first cross-country biking and walking trail when completed. It is more than halfway completed, with about 88 gaps to be filled, including some in Washington state.

A Bike Trail Across Washington

Washington state’s longest segments of the Great American include the 289-mile Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, which travels from the Idaho border to the Puget Sound region, as well as the Olympic Discovery Trail

About 92 miles of the Olympic Discovery Trail are completed along a route that will eventually be 135 miles long, Bohman says. “Trail segments are being added almost every year.” 

Progress is also continuing on the Palouse to Cascades. In central Washington, the state opened the Beverly Bridge, a key trail link over the Columbia River. The 3,000-foot bridge, which opened in April to people biking, walking, and riding horses, unites the eastern and western halves of the Palouse to Cascades, the longest rail trail in the nation. 

Washington Bikes was instrumental in securing state funding to complete the Beverly Bridge. Washington Bikes advocates in Olympia for full funding of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program because it pays for trail projects.

From Seattle to the Pacific

From the western terminus of the Palouse to Cascades trail in Cedar Falls, a variety of trails in King County enable people on bikes to pedal into Seattle. Connecting to the Olympic Discovery Trail and the Pacific is the next big challenge.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy says it has identified a route across the Kitsap Peninsula from the Bainbridge Island town of Winslow, which is reachable by ferry from Seattle, to Hood Canal Bridge. Work on this route across the Kitsap Peninsula–named the Sound to Olympics Trail–is underway. Currently, however, people bicycling must largely travel across the Kitsap Peninsula on roads.

Trail planners are now “route scouting and exploring connections” to get from the Hood Canal Bridge to the Port Townsend area and the Olympic Discovery Trail, Bohman says. The Peninsula Trails Coalition has identified four potential trail routes, he says.

Progress on the Olympic Discovery Trail

Most recently, “a truly signature piece” of the Olympic Discovery Trail opened along Lake Crescent following five years of work, Bohman says. A collaboration between Clallam County and Olympic National Park, the multi-million-dollar Spruce Railroad Trail project included opening two abandoned railroad tunnels.

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is now working to complete a section of trail paralleling U.S. Highway 101 near Sequim Bay. “It has been a singletrack but the tribe is upgrading it to a paved trail with gravel shoulders,” Bohman says.

A big priority for the Peninsula Trails Coalition is closing trail gaps between Port Townsend and Sequim. From Port Townsend, people can now pedal to the Four Corners area on the Larry Scott Trail. But from here, bikes must travel on a dangerous stretch of SR20 to continue westward. Bohman urges people to avoid this stretch of highway. 

To eliminate these trail gaps, the Peninsula Trails Coalition joined Jefferson County to complete a study that has identified an 11-mile trail route from Four Corners to Discovery Bay. The county adopted the study and hopes to fill this gap in three phases, starting with a three-mile segment that will connect Four Corners to Anderson Lake State Park, Bohman says, with construction to be completed in two to three years.  

From Anderson Lake State Park, trail planners want to build another trail segment along a water line corridor. The third segment of trail between Four Corners and Discovery Bay “still needs more homework,”  Bohman says. 

“Further west in Jefferson County, we are looking at an abandoned segment of the old State Highway 9 that was discontinued when Highway 101 opened between Discovery Bay and Sequim Bay,” Bohman says. 

Building trails takes time. Funding must be obtained, routes must be studied, and agreements must be reached with property owners, government entities, and tribes. “It’s the hardest trail sections that get left for last,” Bohman says. 

Trails Require Partnerships

The Peninsula Trails Coalition was founded 34 years ago with a mission to build and maintain the Olympic Discovery Trail. It has helped complete 90 miles so far and hopes to have 110 miles in four to five years, Bohman says.

The Peninsula Trails Coalition works with 14 separate jurisdictions–from tribal, county, state, and local governments, to federal agencies including the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Park Service. 

“Our pledge to communities and the 14 jurisdictions we pass through is: ‘We will maintain and take care of the trail if you build it.’ We donate thousands of hours of volunteer work to take the load of maintenance off the shoulders of communities,” Bohman says.

Cascade and Washington Bikes are proud to be a part of the large coalition of people committed to building safe places to bike, walk, and roll across our state

“Cascade and Washington Bikes salute the hard work of the Peninsula Trails Coalition to make Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula one of the premier bicycling destinations in the nation,” says Lee Lambert, Cascade and WA Bikes’ executive director. “Long-distance bike trails not only boost our economy, they improve the quality of life for all Washington residents.”

Watch the videoThe Olympic Discovery Trail: Connecting Opportunity on the Olympic Peninsula

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2022 Bike-Friendly State Rankings Put WA at #3

Washington has been No. 1 in the League of American Bicyclists state-by-state comparison since its inception more than a decade ago. In its 2022 ranking, which is based on 2021 data and a new scoring methodology, the League puts Washington behind Massachusetts and Oregon at No. 3. While the ranking has some merit in terms of highlighting where Washington can do better, the 2022 scorecard has been announced shortly after the Legislature approved and Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law the largest funding package for bike infrastructure and education in state history. So we encourage everyone to take this ranking with a grain of salt. Here are seven things to know about Washington’s Bike Friendly work, and our take on the League’s scores.

  1. Washington is improving. Perhaps most useful in the rankings is to look at how a single state is performing year on year. The last rankings were pre-pandemic (2019). Since then, Washington has improved on many scored areas, including statewide active transportation plans, environmental justice, and multimodal transportation revenue. WA receives an “A” score in three of the five scored areas:
  • Adopted WSDOT Active Transportation Plan–a framework for ensuring there is an active transportation network across Washington state.
  • Passed the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act, which defines ‘environmental justice’ in state law, and outlines how agencies should consider community needs and environmental justice (EJ) in their work. This requires that WSDOT use an equity framework in all project and funding programs to ensure that communities most impacted by transportation projects are prioritized.
  • Passed the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) which created the first-ever large revenue source dedicated to funding multimodal transportation projects.

2. 2022 Legislative wins aren’t considered. The Bike Friendly State scores are based on 2021 data, meaning massive investments in active transportation won in the 2022 legislative session weren’t factored in. Washington got a “C” grade for Infrastructure and Funding even though our Legislature approved the largest funding package for bicycling in state history in the form of Move Ahead Washington in March. Here are three huge legislative wins that were not considered:

  • $1.1 billion in active transportation funding going directly towards better biking, walking, and rolling infrastructure across the state.
  • $216 million going towards statewide youth bike education, giving kids the skills to bike for fun and transportation.
  • Requires WSDOT to build  Complete Streets  when advancing any project over $500,000 (which is the vast majority of WSDOT projects).

Those legislative wins will trickle down into results on the ground, which will improve safety and ridership–the core metrics for a bikeable community.

3. The new scorecard includes less emphasis on proactive bike legislation–a strength in Washington, and one of the keys for safer bicycling. The League’s new methodology means Washington got fewer points for implementing important laws such as the Safe Passing law, the Safety Stop, Distracted Driving measures, and a Vulnerable Road User law. These important laws didn’t raise our score this year despite their importance. 

4. Emphasis on inaccurate federal data. The folks in D.C. who crunch federal biking data state very clearly that this data should not be used for state-by-state comparisons (i.e. scorecards), but unfortunately, with no other consistent cross-state data source, this is the data the League relied upon. It’s unclear if the federal mode-share data is an accurate reflection of Washington state bike ridership.

5. Much to celebrate, but so much more to do. Much of the influence over safe, accessible, comfortable, and convenient biking in a given state comes down to state and local planners and the elected leaders they report to. The state Legislature will look different in 2023: every member of the Washington state House of Representatives will be on the ballot this November. With a slew of representatives and senators stepping down, there will be some seat shuffling, and more than a typical number of open seats up for grabs. Washington Bikes is looking forward to the 2022 Election with gusto. Our state needs more elected bike champions who see the connections between biking, transportation, climate, and health.

6. Does a ranking even matter? At the end of the day, it’s people’s experience on bikes in communities across Washington (and the entire US) that are the real litmus test for “bike friendliness”. Do you feel comfortable putting your kid into a bike seat and pedaling them to the store with you? Do you have to white-knuckle through portions of most of your rides? These are the questions that get to the heart of whether a state is bike friendly. A country-wide evaluation based on high-level, and sometimes inaccurate, data won’t answer these questions. All in all, take this new methodology and ranking with a bit of skepticism.

7. Oregon and Massachusetts: Let’s talk! For all its shortcomings, the rankings show which states are innovating and having success improving safety for people on bikes–and thus where Washington, too, can learn and grow. We’re excited to have some competition in this ranking, despite its faults. We want to know what policies and practices we can put to work that are leading to success in other states. We are eager to collaborate with and share knowledge with Massachusetts and Oregon to identify policies and practices that make bicycling safer and more equitable for everyone.

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Come Ride the Newly Opened Beverly Bridge, a Key Link in the Palouse to Cascades Trail!

  • “This trail is a national asset, a family asset, the past connecting with the future,” says Gov. Jay Inslee.
  • The 3,000-foot bike bridge over the Columbia River unites the eastern and western halves of the 289-mile Palouse to Cascades Trail, the longest rail trail in the nation.

Drone photo courtesy Mike Sorensen/Marilyn Hedge

On a windy spring day in Eastern Washington, we joined a group of happy people riding bikes and horses and hiking across the Beverly Bridge.

The bridge’s opening on April 8 is a milestone achievement in the development of the 289-mile Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail that spans from Cedar Falls on the eastern slope of the Cascades to the border of Idaho. Washington Bikes was instrumental in securing funding from legislators in Olympia to complete the bridge project.  The Beverly Bridge provides users a beautiful, car-free opportunity to cross the Columbia River, from the safe perch of a multi-use trail 70 feet above the water’s surface.

“The Beverly Bridge is one of the most exciting new pieces of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the country,” says Alex Alston, state policy director for Washington Bikes. 

Biking across the bridge with the Washington Bikes policy team, the wind whipping our hair beneath our helmets, felt like a movie scene. Desert cliffs and deep blue water filled our vision as we pedaled over the majestic, 3,000-foot long bridge that in earlier decades carried trains. A celebration awaited us at the south end of the bridge, where marching bands, politicians, and trail enthusiasts mingled. All were excited to celebrate the culmination of a years-long project that will bring economic development to the region as more bicyclists, hikers, and equestrians come to enjoy the views.

Thanks to the dozens of organizations and committed citizens that worked tirelessly to fund and complete the trail, the Great American Rail-Trail that spans from Washington, D.C., to Washington state is now 53 percent complete, according to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Project Manager Kevin Belanger. 

A dozen speakers  shared their contributions to the trail, including the Buck family, members of the Wanapum Tribe, whose ancestral home includes the riverbanks from Beverly to Pasco. “This is an old trail for our ancestors. It was built and widened for the wagons,” Johnny Buck said. “The opening of this trail connects us all now as one people. This bridge can help us cultivate relationships, grow our economies, and re-invest in our ancestral trails.”

Gov. Jay Inslee shared his pride in the connection that the Beverly Bridge makes possible across the state. “With the Beverly Bridge opening, there’s no Western Washington, there’s no Eastern Washington, there’s just one Washington,” Inslee said. “This trail is a national asset and a family asset, the past connecting with the future.”

Photo courtesy of Mike Sorensen/Marilyn Hedges.

Located in central Washington, the former railroad bridge cost $5.5 million to retrofit with added railings and decking that make it safe for people biking and walking. 

“Absolutely spectacular” is how Fred Wert, chairperson of the Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition, describes the Beverly Bridge. “It is one of the few places where you can ride over the Columbia River that’s not on a highway. It’s peaceful and quiet, with huge terrain all around you.”

“People will come from around the country to use this new bridge, both for short- and long-distance trips,” said Belanger.

Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes are members of the Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition, and Washington Bikes pushed for full funding of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) that pays for trails including the Palouse to Cascades. Washington Bikes also supported a $5.7 million appropriation to the Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation to fund the Beverly Bridge repairs. 

“Our goal is to create cross-state multi-use trails that improve rural economic development, attract bicycle tourists from around the region and world, and allow people to ride through Washington’s magnificent landscapes on off-road routes free of vehicle traffic,” Alston says.

The Palouse to Cascades Trail 

The Beverly Bridge is part of about $10 million of work underway or recently completed on the Palouse to Cascades trail, which at 289-miles long is among the longest rail-trails in the nation. 

At its westernmost point at Cedar Falls, near the town of North Bend, the Palouse to Cascades trail connects to the 30-mile Snoqualmie Valley Trail. The eventual goal is to connect the Palouse to Cascades to the many trails and routes that cross the Puget Sound region.

Other construction highlights on the Palouse to Cascades trail include:

  • Completion of the Renslow Trestle that crosses over Interstate 90 just east of Ellensburg. Opened to bikes in 2021, it eliminated a long detour.

  • Completion in 2022 of the two small Crab Creek Bridges that burned in 2020 and 2021. 

  • Repairing two small bridges and resurfacing the trail between the small towns of Malden and Rosalia. 

  • The addition of decking and railings to the Tekoa Trestle (pronounced Tee-Ko), a dramatic bridge about six miles from the Idaho border that passes through the middle of the town of Tekoa. State Parks officials hoped the work would be completed in 2022. 

 

Washington’s Five Long Distance Trails

The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail is one of five long-distance biking and hiking trails managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. 

  • The Willapa Hills trail spans 56 miles from the agricultural lands of Chehalis to the coastal habitat of Willapa Bay. Read the Cascade post, “From Farmlands to Oyster Beds.

  • The 31-mile Klickitat Trail that runs north to south between the towns of Klickitat and Lyle. The trail passes through the oak and pine forests of Swale Canyon, as well as rural farmlands in eastern Washington. Learn more on the state parks website.

  • The Spokane River Centennial Trail spans 40 miles between Spokane and the Idaho border, where it connects to Idaho’s North Idaho Centennial Trail that travels all the way to Coeur d’Alene. The state is resurfacing about 12 miles of asphalt on the trail, which has more than 40 historically important sites, according to the state parks website.

  • The 130-mile Columbia Plateau Trail is a work in progress with major potential for long-distance bike touring but no funding yet to complete the work. Running between Cheney, home to Eastern Washington University, and Pasco, at the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers, the trail has some rideable sections but is, for the most part, a hiking trail due to the rough and rocky conditions. The Columbia Plateau Trail intersects with the Palouse to Cascades, which provides impetus to efforts to make it rideable.

To continue progress on these trails, Washington Bikes will support full funding for the WWRP in 2023 when legislators take up the next biennial budget.

Until then, go ride over the Beverly Bridge. Bring a bike with fat tires for the gravel and sandy sections on either side of the bridge.

 

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$29 Million Will Fast-Track Eastrail Construction Projects

  • Move Ahead Washington funds will benefit bike infrastructure statewide and speed up completion of key segments on the 42-mile Eastrail, including making two former railroad bridges bikeable and extending the trail into Renton.

The Eastrail bike and multi-use trail has received $29 million in state money to accelerate work and close gaps in the regional 42-mile route.

When completed, Eastrail will enable people to bike from Renton in the south, through busy Bellevue, Kirkland, and Redmond, and onward to Woodinville and Snohomish County. While many segments of Eastrail are rideable now, multiple expensive bridge projects along this disused railroad corridor must be completed to link these trail segments into a continuous trail.

Work on two of these bridges will be fast-tracked thanks to $29 million included in the Move Ahead Washington Transportation package approved by the state Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Inslee this spring. The package includes a historic $1.3 billion in funding for biking and walking infrastructure projects and programs.

Washington Bikes played a crucial role in securing the funding by working with legislative leaders and the legislation’s sponsors to ensure passage.

Funds allocated for Eastrail will be spent on bridges in Bellevue and Woodinville, as well as for planning and land acquisitions to extend Eastrail into downtown Renton from its current southern terminus.

Photo courtesy of King County Parks

$18 million will be used to complete work on the Eastrail corridor through Bellevue, with more than half of the amount spent to convert the steel railroad bridge, above, that crosses over Interstate-90 into a bike and pedestrian bridge.

Photo courtesy King County Parks.

$5 million will be used to retrofit a trestle over State Route 202, above, as the first step in connecting Eastrail to downtown Woodinville.

Photo courtesy Eastrail Partners.

$6 million will be spent on planning and land purchases to extend the trail from Gene Coulon Park, where the trail end, into Renton. From Gene Coulon Park the Eastrail would link to other regional trails in South King County that converge in Renton.

“This historic level of funding from the legislature for Eastrail and bike and pedestrian projects across Washington state will make bicycling safer and more accessible for many more people,” said Vicky Clarke, policy director for Cascade Bicycle Club. “It’s great to see momentum to complete Eastrail grow. This progress builds from years of advocacy and organizing by Cascade to encourage trail owners to expedite rail removal and get the trail open to the public to use and enjoy now, not just someday. It’s great to see the state fund these two bridges. Bridges are the big ticket items along the corridor, and sharing the costs means getting the trail open sooner.”

“Eastrail is all about connecting communities, and this state transportation funding helps shorten the to-do list of Eastrail projects needing funding as we build a fully connected, safe, and accessible trail for all,” said Eastrail Partners Board President Edna Shim, who thanked state Rep. Vandana Slatter, governmental partners, and nonprofits who advocated for the funding.

More Trail Segments Opening this Summer

In addition to the above projects, work on Eastrail is ongoing with monies from other public and private sources. This summer, King County Parks will open two new miles of hard packed gravel trail between Kirkland and Woodinville.

The City of Woodinville is working on a dedicated off-street path that will connect Eastrail to the nearby Sammamish River Trail, enabling people to bicycle south toward Redmond or north toward the Burke-Gilman Trail that travels around the top of Lake Washington and down into Seattle.

In Kirkland, construction is scheduled to be completed this year on the new Totem Lake Connector bridge. One of the biggest projects ongoing is the conversion of the historic Wilburton trestle in Bellevue into a bike and pedestrian bridge. Eastrail Partners has secured $9.5 million from Amazon, Meta, and REI to retrofit the Wilburton Trestle and complete the Northup Connector that will link Eastrail to the SR-520 bike path.

In the big picture, Eastrail will be a major artery in the Leafline trail system, a region-wide effort to connect trails in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties. Eastrail will tie together the east-west SR-520 bike path and I-90 bike path that both cross Lake Washington to Seattle. It will also enable folks to pedal onto the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail under construction between Bellevue and North Bend. When completed, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail will connect to the 290-mile Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail that runs through an old railroad corridor all the way to Idaho.

“These funds come to our Eastrail projects at a great time,” said King County Parks Director Warren Jimenez. “This helps us move forward with progress at key connection points in Renton and Bellevue, making more of this truly transformative community asset available even sooner than we would have hoped. Our shared vision of an integrated regional trail system with easy connections to light rail is getting closer every day.”

More Eastrail News

Read an in-depth interview with Eastrail Partners Executive Director Katherine Hollis on The Urbanist.

Read our previous post about new Eastrail trail segments that opened last fall.

Learn more about the Legislature’s spending package for bicycling improvements in the Washington Bikes press release: “Washington Bikes Celebrates Passage of Largest Funding Package for Bicycling Infrastructure and Bike Education in Washington History.”

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Washington Bikes Celebrates Passage of Largest Funding Package for Bicycling Infrastructure and Bike Education in Washington History

  • Legislation with $1.3 billion in spending for bike, walk, and roll initiatives headed to the governor’s desk for his expected signature.
  • “A historic investment in bicycling infrastructure and programs that show Washington deserves its reputation as the most bike-friendly state in the nation.”

Efforts to get more adults and children bicycling in Washington got a historic boost on Thursday (March 10) with the passage of nearly $1.3 billion in spending for protected bike lanes, multi-use trails, Safe Routes to Schools, biking and walking infrastructure, and a new statewide public school bike education program.

“This is a historic and unprecedented level of spending that makes Washington state a leader in the effort to make bicycling safer, easier, and more popular for individuals, families, and children across our state,” said Lee Lambert, executive director of Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club. 

The Move Ahead Washington transportation package containing the spending for bike, walk, and roll initiatives now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee for his expected signature. The $1.3 billion is a four-fold increase over the $320 million contained in the previous major transportation package approved in 2015. Washington Bikes and our State Policy Director Alex Alston played a critical role in securing this historic funding and worked nonstop during the short legislative session to ensure the legislation’s passage.

“Move Ahead WA is an investment in a healthy future for all Washingtonians,” Lambert added. “Funding for trails, protected bike lanes, and local infrastructure enables more people to get out of cars and onto bikes. Move Ahead WA will improve public health, advance equity, reduce air pollution and climate emissions, and create green infrastructure jobs while making our communities more livable and happy.”

In the past, funding constraints meant that only one in five applications to the bike/ped and Safe Routes to Schools grant programs received funding. That left many communities without the safe and connected bike routes they needed at a time when more people are biking than ever due to the pandemic bike boom and rising gas prices.

“We applaud legislators and the governor for investing in efforts that will protect our most vulnerable road users, and especially our children as they bike and walk to school,” said Vicky Clarke, policy director for Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club. “In particular, we thank Sen. Marko Liias, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, and Rep. Jake Fey, Chair of the House Transportation Committee, for fighting on behalf of these unparalleled bike, walk, and roll investments.”

Move Ahead Washington includes the following spending for bike, walk, and roll programs: 

  • $290 million for Safe Routes to Schools; 
  • $278 million for the Bike/Ped Grant Program;
  • $50 million for a new Connecting Communities grant program to fund active transportation projects that undo harms in communities divided by highways and major transportation corridors;
  • $216 million for two new bicycling education programs–one targeting elementary and middle schools and a second for junior high and high schools. Inspired by Cascade Bicycle Club’s Let’s Go curriculum in Seattle and Edmonds, these school-based programs would be the largest statewide youth bicycling education initiatives of their kind in the nation.
  • $313 million for on-street bike networks, sidewalks, and trails projects to connect and fill gaps in active transportation networks. Highlights include:
    • $29M million to help complete the 42-mile Eastrail multi-use trail ($24M from the active transportation projects list, and $5M from the capital projects list).
    • $6.9M for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail.
    • $4M for the Liberty Park Land Bridge in Spokane.
    • $6M for a bike and pedestrian bridge of SR-500 in Vancouver.
    • $50M to improve biking and walking safety on Aurora Avenue in Seattle.
    • $5M for a pedestrian and bike bridge over SR 169 in Maple Valley.

Quotes in Support of this Historic Spending

  • Sen. Marko Liias (D–Everett), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee: 
    • “I’m excited about so many different investments included in Move Ahead WA that will help our neighbors across the state. This package will help our neighbors have safer and more efficient commutes to work, no matter how they’re traveling. Folks on bikes will see more bike lanes, and students across the state will benefit from a school-based bike program which will help our next generation of commuters learn best safety practices. Whether you’re walking, riding, or rolling, this transformative package will help you get to your destination safely.”
  • Rep. Jake Fey, Chair of the House Transportation Committee
    • “Move Ahead WA was possible thanks to the efforts of people from every corner of Washington—and it goes to work for every corner of Washington. This package invests in cleaner, healthier communities and represents a significant step toward new possibilities for our future. We’ve prioritized preserving and protecting the infrastructure we have without perpetuating pollution, traffic, or other harms in underinvested communities. I’m proud of this policy, from transit investments to green transportation projects, and I’m grateful for the partnership of transportation advocates and my legislative colleagues who shaped the final result.”
  • Alexandra Soderstrom of Spokane, cousin of Jeffery Valentine, 25, who was hit and killed by a drunk driver while crossing 3rd Avenue toward Liberty Park in Spokane in 2018, near the site of the proposed Liberty Park Land Bridge. 
    • “This bridge is long overdue. If a land bridge had been there in 2017 Jeffery wouldn’t have had to cross the road that day. Liberty Park is in a lower-income area of the city, and I’ve noticed that in these lower-income areas there aren’t as many safe places to walk or bike as in higher-income areas. Jeffery was the glue that held our family together, and since we lost him our family has been ripped apart. Losing him was devastating, and we are still all affected by it to this day.”
  • Eastrail Partners Board President Edna Shim:
    • “The 42-mile Eastrail is about connecting communities and giving people a convenient, safe, healthy, and sustainable option for traveling between South and East King County communities and northward into Snohomish County–all without a car. The $29 million in funding for Eastrail will accelerate the completion of several key projects including work on the steel bridge that crosses Interstate 90 in Bellevue, and retrofits to a trestle over State Route 202 as the first step in connecting the trail into downtown Woodinville. These funds will also be used to start the process of extending Eastrail southward into Renton from Gene Coulon Park. Eastrail Partners was honored lead advocacy for this funding with governmental partners, legislative champions like Representative Slatter, and other nonprofits like Cascade Bike Club.” 
  • Erik Nelson, SpoKat member, Spokane:
    • Passage of the bill signifies our state’s commitment to bridge our transportation inequity  gap by funding low stress bike lanes for the working poor and lower middle class. With rising gas, car insurance and car payments, automobile related costs are taking a bigger bite out of shrinking paychecks.  Requiring ownership of a car to work is forcing more people deeper into poverty. Having low stress bike lanes finally provides  a less stressful and less costly option to go to work, school and shop without further polluting our environment or adding more pain to the pocketbook, thus bridging our society’s transportation inequity gap.”
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Support policies for better biking during the Washington Bikes Week of Action

February 1 to 5, community members from around Washington are joining together to advocate for critical bike, pedestrian, and climate legislation. Join us to build safer, more equitable, and more resilient communities across the state.

A staggered line of bicyclists glides down the tree-lined street beside the Capitol building in Olympia as the sun grazes the horizon

February 1 to 5, Washington Bikes is hosting our first ever virtual Legislative Week of Action! Join us because we are stronger together when we advocate for: safe, healthy communities connected by bike, addressing inequities in transportation funding and infrastructure, securing funding for bike and walk pathways, and investing in solutions to climate change. This week will be a powerful opportunity for advocates across the state to raise our voices together in support of new policy and funding to increase safety and accessibility for biking, walking, and rolling – at the exact moment that our elected leaders are considering proposals and focusing on these important issues.

Below is the calendar for the WA Bikes Week of Action. Registrants will also receive reminder emails each morning during the Week of Action that will include information on all action items and call information for events happening that day.

Register for the Week of Action

Sign Up button

Tuesday February 1: Legislative Lunch and Learn 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. (ZOOM INFO HERE)

We’ll kick off our Week of Action with a Legislative Briefing from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m, featuring WA Bikes State Policy Director Alex Alston and other special guests. Get caught up on the legislative lay of the land this year and prospects for WA Bikes’ legislative priorities this session.  Bring your questions, and leave prepared and motivated to advocate throughout the week – and beyond! 

Wednesday, February 2: Take action – Support Transportation Funding! (Contact Your Legislators Today!)

Add your voice in support of legislative action on  transportation funding, including Safe Routes to School, E-bike incentives, and Reconnecting Communities. Connect with your elected officials to advocate for the issues that matter most to you and your community.

Thursday February 3: Letter to the Editor training 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. (ZOOM INFO HERE)

Join Sara Kiesler, WA Bikes’ Communications and Marketing Director, for an in depth training on how to educate your community through letters to your local newspaper editor and change the narrative on the issues you care about. Sara’s LTEs have been published in various news platforms across the Pacific Northwest.

Friday February 4: Take action – Support Growth Management Act (GMA) legislation! (Contact Your Legislators Today!)

Changes to the WA State Growth Management Act will have far reaching implications in support of environmental justice, housing equity, and action on climate change. Let your elected officials know why they must pass GMA reform this session.

Saturday February 5: Share your story (Phone2Action Story Link)

A final opportunity to add your voice during the Week of Action! Let our elected leaders know why better transportation infrastructure, GMA reform, and e-bike incentives matter to you and your community. Your advocacy and experiences are critical in helping our elected officials understand why they must act to protect our climate, invest in multimodal infrastructure, and build safer, more accessible, and more connected communities across Washington.

Now is a critical time to make change in your community and make Washington a safer place to bike, walk, and roll. We can’t wait to advocate alongside you in service of creating safer, healthier, and more equitable communities across Washington.

 

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2022 Washington Bikes Legislative Priorities

The 2022 legislative session begins Monday, January 10. With just 60 days to complete the legislative session, and last minute format adjustments  due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be a sprint to get bills through both chambers and to the Governor’s desk. We are excited to work with our legislative champions, including state Sen. Marko Liias as the newly appointed Senate Transportation Committee Chair, to grow investments and enact policies to increase access to safe biking for transportation and recreation across the state of Washington.

 

Grow bike and pedestrian funding in the multimodal account 

  • Ask: Protect and grow investments for bike and pedestrian grant funding in the state transportation budget or through new revenue investments. The multimodal account dedicates funds for modes of transportation other than motor vehicles, such as rail, ferries, transit, biking and walking. These investments include the Safe Routes to School grant program and the Bicycle and Pedestrian grant program and project list. By protecting and growing funds for these projects, we can improve safety and accessibility for people of all ages who bike, walk and roll.

 

Prioritize funding to address inequities in transportation

  • Ask: Leverage Washington’s Active Transportation Plan equity analysis to prioritize active transportation investments that will improve safety and access in low-income communities, communities of color, and areas of historic under-investment. Prioritizing these communities will help address inequities in Washington’s transportation system, which has led to disproportionate incidents of crashes, according to traffic injury and fatality data. 

 

Support measures that will incentivize e-bike ownership 

  • Support: Establish measures that will incentivize or lower barriers to e-bike ownership. E-bikes provide an efficient way to bike due to the pedal-assist that allows for longer rides, ease of traversing hills, navigating busy intersections, and carrying groceries or children. 76% of trips taken by e-bike owners would have been car trips prior to owning an e-bike. More people e-biking means less people in cars, which helps meet Washington’s transportation congestion and climate goals. 

 

Support modernizing the Growth Management Act (GMA)

  • Support: Pass House Bill 1099, which updates GMA requirements to include climate resiliency strategies as well as plans for people in communities across Washington state to have safe, seamless, and affordable transportation options. Ensuring counties and cities are planning to reduce vehicle miles traveled in their comprehensive planning equates to investing in active transportation networks. When more people bike, walk, and roll, not only are Green House Gas emission reduction benefits clear, but there are also significant health, mode-shift, and economic benefits. Read more about this bill, and it’s impacts.

 

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Safe biking requires climate commitments written into city policies across the state

 

Written words and plan documents represent promises that advocates can hold leaders accountable to, and cities must identify funding to realize. That’s why Washington Bikes has joined Futurewise in the effort to ensure counties and cities are planning for climate-resilient, multimodal communities that make it easy to bike, walk, and roll. This legislative session we are part of the #WashingtonCan’tWait campaign.

Cities across Washington must update their Comprehensive Plans (a 20-year land use, transportation, and housing plan) by mid-2024. Many communities are poised to launch their planning processes in early 2022. Comprehensive Planning can feel academic and detached from the reality of how we experience our neighborhood streets, transportation options, housing affordability, and proximity to open space. But a Comprehensive Plan is where communities put a stake in the ground of the direction their community is moving towards, and the investments they plan to make to realize it (even if the realization is years away). 

That’s why the Futurewise-led push to update requirements that cities plan for – to include climate resiliency strategies, and for people to have safe, seamless and affordable transportation options – is so important during the 2022 legislative session. Ensuring counties and cities are planning to reduce vehicle miles traveled in their comprehensive planning equates to plans and investments in active transportation networks. When more people bike, walk, and roll, not only are the GHG emission reduction benefits clear, but also the health, mode-shift, and economic benefits as well.

Building on 2021 legislative progress

During the 2021 legislative session Washington Bikes supported HB 1099, a bill championed by our advocacy partners Futurewise. Unfortunately, the bill took some unexpected moves through the legislative process, passing through the Senate Housing and Local Government and Ways and Means committees, only to end up dying in the Senate Transportation committee. In a last attempt at getting part of the policy through the 2021 session, a proviso was approved in the final operating budget that funded the Department of Commerce to start the work on setting up the programs needed to implement the Growth Management Act climate change element that HB 1099 creates. The work of Futurewise and HB 1099’s legislative champions have the bill poised to pass in the 2022 legislative session. Washington Bikes stands ready to help make this a reality.

Key components of HB 1099

HB 1099, prime sponsored by Rep. Duerr (Bothell – 1st LD) updates and modernization to the Growth Management Act will include:

  • Adding the goal of climate change mitigation to the list of goals within the Growth Management Act
  • Adding a climate change and resiliency element to the list of elements that must be included within the comprehensive plans certain counties and cities must adopt under the GMA.
  • Requiring the Department of Commerce (Commerce), in consultation with other state agencies, to publish guidelines that specify a set of actions counties and cities have available to take related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reductions.
  • Requiring the climate change and resiliency element of the comprehensive plan of certain counties and cities to identify actions the jurisdiction will take, consistent with guidelines adopted by Commerce, to reduce GHG emissions and VMT.
  • Requiring the climate change and resiliency element of the comprehensive plan of certain counties and cities to address the adverse impacts of climate change on people, property, and ecological systems.

Stay tuned to hear more about the #WAshingtonCantWait campaign and how you can get involved to help make sure this landmark legislation passes. It’s time for cities across Washington state to plan better for climate and multimodal transportation options.   

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The top wins of 2021 for people who bike

As we reach the end of 2021, we are taking a look at some of this years’ biggest wins for people biking around the state! Washington has been consistently ranked the #1 Bike Friendly State since 2008. Our top 10 highlights underscore how our state has increased investments in biking for recreation and transportation, which yield more — and safer — places to ride. 

  1. Major progress on three segments of the Palouse to Cascades Trail
Photo courtesy Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition.

During the 2021 legislative session, we advanced huge wins for Washington’s longest bike trail in coalition with the Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition, legislators in Olympia, and Washington State Parks. The Renslow Trestle, Beverly Bridge, and Tekoa Trestle are among the trail sections that received funding this year. In addition to increasing access to the long-distance route, these renovations will become destinations in their own right, spurring local use, tourism, and recreation.

2. 2021 Washington State legislative session yielded new dollars for active transportation

Legislative building in Olympia

This January, session was heavily focused on the COVID-19 crisis and response. While the transportation budget saw declining revenues, the Legislature did appropriate modest increases to Washington’s active transportation grant programs. Additionally, the state Legislature was successful in passing new policies to address climate change. The Climate Commitment Act establishes a cap and invest system that will steadily reduce carbon emissions and air pollution while investing in green infrastructure, multimodal transportation (including biking), and environmental justice. Washington Bikes looks forward to advocating to increase multimodal and active transportation funding in the 2022 legislative session. Save the date now for our Jan. 7 Legislative Briefing to learn about Washington Bikes’ priorities for the 2022 session.

3. New electeds bring support for biking to the table statewide

I Bike. I Vote.

This year, voters around the state elected exciting new bike-friendly candidates across Washington state. When they take office on January 1, these new electeds will bring with them fresh ideas, perspectives gained through a diversity of lived experience, and a commitment to championing policies that will make biking safer and accessible in their community. We are looking forward to working with new and re-elected leaders, holding them accountable to their commitments to safe and connected infrastructure, advocating for active transportation funding, and supporting bike programs around the state.

4. The Tacoma Pipeline Trail is complete!

Tacoma Pipeline Trail
courtesy of Pierce County

This year, after years of advocacy, the eastside of Tacoma got a great new trail. The third and final phase of the Pipeline Trail was completed in June and provides an ADA accessible trail for people of all ages and abilities throughout one of the most racially diverse areas of Tacoma. The trail will eventually be part of a 15-mile trail extending from the Tacoma Dome Transit Center to South Hill in Puyallup. From there, it will link to the Nathan Memorial Chapman Trail, and eventually all the way to Mount Rainier National Park.

5. The pandemic “bike boom” is here to stay

Three people ride bikes (a Latino man in a red jacket, a large-bodied woman in a black jacket, and a white man in an orange jacket).

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve experienced many challenges and hardships, but a silver lining has been the explosion of bike sales and ridership across the United States and beyond. In the US alone, bike sales increased by 65% between 2019-2020, and the data for 2021 shows that the bike boom is here to stay. As more people discover (or rediscover) the joy of biking, the need for safe, connected infrastructure becomes even more clear. To accommodate these new riders and our existing communities, it’s crucial that we continue to advocate for safe streets and equitable infrastructure.

6. The 2021 Washington Bike, Walk, Roll Summit hosted conversation, debate, and ideas from around the state and beyond

2021 Bike, Walk, Roll Summit logo in blue and green

Along with our partners at Cascade Bicycle Club, we hosted the 2021 Bike, Walk, Roll Summit, focusing on issues from climate justice to disability rights to investments in safety across the state. Over 300 advocates, engineers, and community members joined us to discuss these issues and learn from experts in the field. We’re already looking forward to the 2022 Summit, and we hope you’ll join us there!

7. Federal support for people biking, walking, and rolling

A Black child, Black man, Black woman, and Asian man stand next to their bikes beside a white woman walking. All are waiting to cross an intersection while wearing masks.

After years of advocacy and months of development, the Build Back Better Bill passed through Congress this November, and President Biden signed it into law. It’s a huge piece of legislation, with clear line items to make biking safer and more accessible on road and trail, and our partners at the League of American Bicyclists worked hard to shape and advocate for the cornerstone elements that will improve biking all across the US. In the coming months, we will be working with state and regional partners to keep them accountable for incorporating key components of the bill as soon as possible.

8. Progress continues on the Eastrail Trail

In November, we celebrated a new development on Eastrail, a trail that will eventually extend 44 miles from Renton to Woodinville. While there is still more work to be done to complete this trail, funding is now in place to complete the entirety of the main spine, and additional segment openings are expected as soon as 2022!

  1. Advocates from around the state stood up for people biking, walking, and rolling at our 2021 Virtual Lobby Day
Four people smiling on a Zoom screen

Over 60 people in communities from Spokane to Gig Harbor joined our virtual Lobby Day to advocate during the 2021 legislative session. Together we let our elected officials know why safe, healthy communities connected by bike matter! We’re already looking forward to gathering during the 2022 session.

10. New Light Rail stations connect the Puget Sound region

In October, three new Light Rail stations opened from Seattle’s University District to Northgate. The stations include enclosed bike lockers and bike cages for rent, and new or improved bike lanes on surrounding streets make the stations comfortable and convenient for folks to access. These implementations serve as a great reminder of the ways in which bikes and transit complement each other, and of how we can build our region to support people biking, walking, rolling, and using transit to get where they need to go. We can’t wait for the further development of Light Rail stations to extend across Puget Sound.

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Election Results 2021: Washington Bikes Wins Across the State

Washington Bikes is excited to begin collaborating with newly elected and re-elected public leaders to build connected and safe bike/walk routes that get people where they need to go. These officials will advance policies that make our streets safer for all.

This November, voters elected 90 percent of Washington Bikes’ endorsed candidates,  who support healthier and safer communities through better bicycling.

Voters’ continued support and engagement with Washington Bikes made these election wins possible. We plan to work with these new and re-elected leaders starting from their first day in office, holding them accountable to their commitments to safe biking and walking infrastructure, active transportation funding, and support for bike tourism. Thank you for making your voice, in support of safe biking and walking, heard at the ballot box! 

A handful of impressive new candidates to elected office won their race. When they take office January 1, they will bring with them fresh ideas, perspectives gained through a diversity of lived experience, and a commitment to championing policies that will make biking safer and accessible in their community. 

Election night highlights: new elected officials to celebrate

    • King County Council: newly elected Councilmember Sarah Perry made transportation options for connecting rural, suburban, and urban communities a central focus of her campaign. 
    • Renton City Council: newly elected Councilmember Carmen Rivera is looking to prioritize low carbon mobility options and build out multimodal options for city residents.
    • Everett City Council: newly elected Councilmember Mary Fosse brings energy to advocate for safe multimodal and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and safe routes and sidewalks to schools. 
    • Port of Seattle: newly elected Port Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed is eager to advance safe bicycle routes and connections between the airport and downtown Seattle for increased ridership, and to bolster bicycle tourism.
    • Sammamish City Council: newly elected Councilmember Karen Howe brings her experience advocating for a connected trail system throughout the Sammamish Plateau, where connected, accessible active transportation routes are needed.  
    • Yakima City Council: newly elected Councilmember Danny Herrera wants to bring more recreational opportunities and safety improvements to Yakima, including sidewalks and bike lanes.
    • Vancouver City Council: newly elected Councilmember Diana Perez will bring new energy to connecting Vancouver communities and the surrounding areas by multimodal trails.
    • Tacoma City Council: newly elected Councilmember Sarah Rumbaugh is eager to address climate justice issues as well connecting Dash Point State Park to downtown Tacoma via a safe bike route.
    • Bellingham City Council: newly elected Councilmember Skip Williams connects to active transportation issues as an avid cyclist, he’s poised to help convey the public benefits of how Bellingham could prioritize public space such as removal of parking spaces for biking and walking infrastructure, which bolsters economic activity and more hospitable public spaces. 

Washington Bikes is excited to begin collaborating with newly elected and re-elected public leaders to build connected and safe bike networks that get people where they need to go. The work starts now.

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