Here at Washington Bikes, we’ve been learning from candidates — what motivated them to run, how they plan to impact their communities, and most importantly, how they will improve bicycling in their cities and neighborhoods.

Yesterday marked the start of the 18-day voting period for the Primary election; you’ve maybe even received your ballot in the mail. If it doesn’t show up in a couple of days, follow the prompts here to request a new one. If you are riding Kaiser Permanente STP presented by Alaska Airlines this weekend, don’t worry! Your ballot just needs to be post marked or in a ballot drop box by August 1st. Enjoy the ride, and when you return to Washington, please vote.

Washington Bikes enjoyed hearing from candidates about why they are signing up for public service. Additionally, we have focused on understanding how candidates will champion the issues most important to people who bike. We need elected officials who will connect the dots between public health and safe access to walking and biking. Leaders who will step up and put dollars behind building connected urban bike networks that get people where they need to go and help reduce congestion. Leaders who will fund tourism-stimulating trails projects to bolster local rural economies. We need council members, mayors, and legislators who will advance policies that keep people safe — regardless of how they choose to get around.

Read up on Washington Bikes’ second round of endorsements!

Washington Bikes’ endorsements and support are given to candidates in contested races who commit to or have a record of making communities better for people on bikes. This second round represents a solid list of candidates who have shown their commitment to growing local economies, improving health outcomes, or creating safer streets and roadways.

Elect Teresa Mosqueda, Seattle City Council, Pos. 8:

As a public health practitioner and champion, Teresa Mosqueda is committed to creating a city that incentivizes healthy behaviors like bicycling and walking. She knows that by connecting communities with safe roadways, sidewalks, safe routes to school, greenways — and a basic bike network — we will see improvements in our health and greater social cohesion. Teresa also makes connections across sectors, seeing how issues of affordability and housing intersect with transportation. On Seattle City Council she will be a champion for broadening the issue of bicycling into conversations about equity, affordability, and as a tool for public health. Finally, she is committed to supporting key Seattle priorities, including completing the Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail and implementing the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan so people of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds can enjoy the benefits of bicycling in our communities.

Washington Bikes was also impressed with council candidate Sara Nelson. Sara’s small business Fremont Brewing is the gold standard for bike-friendly business: She removed parking for cars to create additional retail space for people as well as additional bike parking. In addition, she is committed to building out Seattle’s bike network, including the Missing Link, as a strategy to reduce carbon emissions and make our city a leader on the environment.

Elect Victoria Woodards for Tacoma Mayor:

Victoria Woodards is a proven leader at championing policies that make Tacoma a strong, healthy community. As a Tacoma City Councilmember, she is a voice for communities who’ve often been left out of the conversation. She sees active transportation issues and access to transportation alternatives as an essential part of a vibrant community working for all of its citizens. Whether hopping on a bike to understand what risks are felt by people who ride, exploring cities’ adoption of bike share and family bike rental programs, or her commitment to creating safe and connected neighborhoods for all ages and abilities with an emphasis on education around sharing the street, Victoria Woodards is a thoughtful and dedicated champion for the city of Tacoma and active transportation and recreation!

Re-Elect Nigel Herbig, Kenmore City Council, Pos. 4:

Nigel Herbig is a proven active transportation leader on Kenmore’s City Council. During his tenure on the council, he has helped make protecting vulnerable road users a top priority for the city. Last year, Nigel was instrumental in helping pass the levy which secured three new miles of sidewalks and bike lanes in Kenmore. As a vocal supporter for safer speed limits, comfortable and connected bikeways and trails, and safe routes to school for children, Nigel knows the importance of accessibility to Kenmore’s streets for ALL users. He is dedicated to continuing efforts around trail-oriented development as Kenmore has worked to highlight the small businesses and charm of Kenmore for all people walking and biking the Burke-Gilman Trail.

Re-Elect Amy Walen for Kirkland City Council, Pos. 5:

Amy Walen is committed to smart growth and land use planning in Kirkland with a focus on multimodal transportation options. As Mayor of Kirkland, she’s been an advocate for investments in the Cross Kirkland Corridor, connections to transit, and the greater Lake Sammamish trail system. She envisions a multimodal transportation network throughout the Kirkland region with spectacular appeal for all types of users, regardless of age or skill level.

Elect Rituja Indapure for Sammamish City Council, Pos. 5:

Rituja Indapure recognizes the importance of ensuring there are active transportation options available in the City of Sammamish. She notes this is significant for combatting congestion. Rituja is committed to investing in safe and connected bikeways and trail systems for people who walk and bike and in attracting new riders to bicycling. Rituja enjoyed watching her son prepare for taking on the STP, quite an accomplishment at 13 years old!

Elect Breean Beggs for Spokane City Council, District 2, Pos. 2:

Breean Beggs is a voice for improving Spokane’s transportation infrastructure, and for him, that means complete streets designed for all people and modes of transportation. He is committed to helping create more safe spaces for people walking and biking, which as he sees it will increase the number of people choosing active transportation and recreation. As an attorney, Breean has worked to protect people who bike, and as a councilmember he has worked to dedicate funding to traffic calming improvements and expansion of Safe Routes To School (SRTS) programs. Vote Breean Beggs for Spokane City Council, District 2, Position 2!

Washington Bikes is excited for all that lies ahead on the 2017 campaign trail. You can help elect champions who share our vision for active, connected and safe communities. Ballots have dropped, vote by August 1st!

Vote with your wallet. Join us at Optimism Brewing in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood tonight, Thursday, June 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a fundraiser for the Washington Bike PAC.

Now more than ever before, the priorities of our local and state leaders matter.

In Seattle, Olympia, Bellevue, Tacoma and other key races in the state, the Washington Bike PAC will this year take safe streets advocacy to a whole new level.

In 2017 the Washington Bike PAC (Political Action Committee) will work to elect candidates who will champion, through elected office, a vision of communities connected by bikes.

We need elected officials who will connect the dots between public health and safe access to walking and biking. Leaders will step up and put dollars behind building connected urban bike networks that get people where they need to go, and help reduce congestion. Leaders who will fund tourism-stimulating trails projects to bolster local rural economies. We need council members, mayors, and legislators who will advance policies that keep people safe – regardless of how they choose to get around.

Let me Count the Ways…

Our communities can no longer rely on Uncle Sam, and the carrot and stick of federal dollars and policy. Our immediate federal future holds an infrastructure package proposal focussing on highways, complete elimination of the federal TIGER transportation funding, a steady rollback of environmental regulations, and de-prioritization of EPA climate change and clean energy initiatives, including vehicle emissions.

In order to sidestep goings-on in “the other Washington”, local and state races will matter more. Our communities are ripe to advance to the next level.

There’s Another Way

The Washington Bike PAC is working in lockstep with the Washington Bikes to identify, endorse and financially support local and state candidates who are ready to build on hard work and momentum that advocates and our champions have started, and make it safe to walk and bike.

Join Us

The Seattle launch of the Washington Bike PAC is momentous. Come raise a glass – alongside others who share in this vision – to a community where biking is safe, easy and intuitive.

Can’t make it tonight to the Fundraiser? Donate to the Washington Bike PAC online, and let’s together make sure we elect future leaders who’ll work with the community and lead the charge.  

Media Contact: Diana Bryant
Communications & Marketing Specialist
(206) 939-4314 (office)
comms@wabikes.org

More than 15,000 expected to participate in the
annual trip tracking challenge

SEATTLE, Wash. April 26, 2017 –  Are you in? The Washington Bikes Bike Everywhere Challenge begins Monday, May 1 and runs through the end of the month. The Challenge is a fun, free online trip-tracking contest designed to encourage people to ride to work, school and everywhere else. The annual Challenge inspires thousands of people to start riding and encourages experienced riders to bike more. Riders can go solo or form a team of coworkers or friends and challenge each other to ride as much as possible throughout the month of May.

Learn more and sign up for the Washington Bikes Bike Everywhere Challenge at challenge.wabikes.org.
New this year:

With our improved leaderboard functions participants will be able to see how they stack up against others within their county, age range and level of riding experience.
Participants now earn points by encouraging others to ride. Winning individuals and teams will be selected based on a combination of points earned from miles ridden, days ridden and encouragement given.
To encourage new riders to join the Challenge we are awarding double points for anyone who has only ridden a few times in the last year.
The Washington Bikes Bike Everywhere Challenge is one of many fun bike challenges happening across the state throughout the month of May.

Find other Washington state bike challenges at wabikes.org/growing-bicycling/resources/bike-month-challenges-in-washington-state/.
Stats from the 2016 Challenge:

• 15,741 participants
• 1,730 teams
• 338,886 bike trips logged
• 1,563 new riders
• 30 percent of Challenge riders identified as a woman
• More than 700 organizations represented

Follow #BikeEverywhere on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news and updates throughout the month.

# # #

About Washington Bikes
Washington Bikes grows bicycling all across the state of Washington every day. We advocate for bicyclists’ rights, endorse political candidates and hold officials accountable at every level of government, working with them to shape the policies that will make bicycling a safe, accessible form of transportation, travel and recreation. Through our efforts we increase funding for bicycle facilities; provide tools for local advocates to improve their communities; and promote the health, safety and economic benefits of bicycling. Our work and that of our many partner organizations means more biking all across Washington, the #1 Bicycle Friendly State in America (eight years in a row)! To learn more, visit WAbikes.org.

People who bike make up a disproportionate number of traffic fatalities and serious injuries when compared to people that travel by other means. While experts across fields, from law enforcement to transportation planning to public health, are dedicated to eliminating this disparity, these sectors need a better way to collaborate.

That’s why Washington Bikes is celebrating the creation of the Cooper Jones Bicyclist Safety Advisory Council.

Senate bill 5402 passed the legislature on April 17, and Gov. Inslee will soon sign this legislation into law, forming the first interdisciplinary panel dedicated to examining causes of serious injury and death of people who bike in Washington. This means bicyclist safety will be treated with the same diligence as pedestrian safety as well as impaired driving, both of which already have their own dedicated panels.

Experts and advocates representing more than 10 disciplines and stakeholder groups will convene quarterly to review, analyze and share data; identify patterns in bicyclist injury and death; and identify points at which the transportation system can be improved.

Facilitating these practices puts us on the path to eliminate disparities in traffic injury and death for people who bike, and ultimately, to achieve Target Zero objectives.

What’s more, investing in bicyclist safety at the state level spurs action among counties and municipalities. When the state leads, local advocates and agencies follow suit, using vetted, trusted and evidence-based recommendations to advance policies in their own communities.

Advocating for the safety of people who bike is a core tenant of all that we do at Washington Bikes. With the creation of the Cooper Jones Bicyclist Safety Advisory Council, we are elevating the safety of some of the most vulnerable road users in a comprehensive statewide manner.

Washington Bikes would like to express gratitude to the family of Cooper Jones, who after the loss of their son, worked tirelessly to lay the groundwork for bicyclist and pedestrian safety legislation in Washington state. Also, we’d like to give a huge thanks to Senator Liias and Representative Kloba, the prime sponsors of the companion bills this year. Their leadership and commitment to making Washington’s communities safer for people who bike is greatly valued.

To stay engaged on this and other important bike issues, sign up for WA Bikes E-News.