On November 7 let’s elect four leaders to set Seattle on course to build a healthier, more economically competitive and safer transportation system. Sign up today to elect these bike champions!
Washington Bikes 2017 Seattle Endorsements:
- Cary Moon, Mayor
- Teresa Mosqueda, City Council, Pos. 8
- Lorena González, City Council, Pos. 9
- Pete Holmes, City Attorney
As the fastest growing large U.S. city, Seattle is at a critical juncture to catch up to its peers – including Vancouver, BC, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC – who are setting the course to shift their transportation systems toward a future that is healthier, more economically competitive and safer. With the Seattle Department of Transportation gaining momentum in its buildout of the Move Seattle Levy, and with Light Rail expanding to Northgate by 2021, the time is now to propel Seattle forward by realizing a citywide vision of connected bikeways in the next four years.
Building a connected bikeway network will help more people get where they need to go on Seattle’s increasingly constrained right-of ways. It will also address additional challenges, such as:
- making Seattle’s transportation system more forgiving and safer for all residents – whether they are an 8-year old who wants to bike to school safely or an 80-year-old that seeks to age-in-place in their community;
- addressing the root causes of improving public health and safety so that all residents have access to healthier and smarter forms of transportation; and
- meeting the demands for new, faster, and safer options to get across downtown in minutes without facing the frustrations of increasing congestion.
Solutions to these challenges require active transportation investments and policies for bicycling, walking, and transit, while using Vision Zero or Sustainable Safety approaches to improving safety in Seattle.
The Washington Bikes-endorsed candidates for Seattle affirm a host of policies and investments that begin to address these questions with answers for how to make Seattle’s transportation system affordable, modern, healthier, and safer for all.
Through the interview and written questionnaire process, the endorsed candidates provided unequivocal support for:
- Growing investments in Safe Routes to School across Seattle
- Identifying strategies to improve tourism via bicycling in Washington state
- Support for projects that transform streets and roadways from places designed for cars to places designed for caring neighbors and thriving businesses
- Supporting the Framework Agreement for completing the Burke Gilman Trail’s Missing Link and beginning construction of this long-awaited trail segment in 2018
- Building the Basic Bike Network downtown by 2019
- Accelerating the buildout of complete streets across Seattle
By successfully implementing these initiatives and goals, Seattleites will finally be able to safely bike from the Rainier Valley to downtown, and from Golden Gardens to the University of Washington by the time light rail expands to Northgate in 2021.
Following the November 7 election, Washington Bikes looks forward to working with the mayor, councilmembers, and the City Attorney to make America’s fastest growing big city turn into America’s best city to bike in over the next four years.
Washington Bikes thanks all the candidates for their dedication to Seattle.
With less than eight weeks until Election Day, we are in the final stretch! Doorbelling and phone calling on behalf of Washington Bikes’ endorsed candidates will take place between now and November 7. Sign up below to get plugged in to ways to support your nearest bike champion!
