Blog & News - Page 20 of 115 - Washington BikesWashington Bikes

Vision, Collaboration Make Bike Skills 101 a Success

By Guest Blogger | Published September 23, 2015

Today’s story comes to us from our friends at Bike Clark County.

Vancouver Parks & Recreation, Bike Clark County, and National Park Service Partnership Result in Summer Bike Camps

Dreaming big and a spirit of collaboration brought Vancouver Parks and Recreation, Bike Clark County, and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site together in a unique partnership that successfully paired bicycling and youth fitness. It all came together as Bike Skills 101, a series of four week-long day camps for kids ages 6 to 14 in July 2015.

There is an old proverb that says, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan”. Apparently no one associated with Bike Skills 101 got the memo, because each partner was quick to point out how crucial the other partners were to making it all work. Or maybe this is just what a great partnership looks like: each partner recognizing how working together can optimize the strengths, abilities, and outcomes of the whole. This partnership had federal, municipal, non-profit organizations, and volunteers seamlessly integrated in pursuit of a common goal to help kids have fun and be safe while riding their bicycles.

The idea originated sometime in 2013 with City of Vancouver Parks and Recreation Department employee Jen Thomas and Bike Clark County President Eric Giacchino.

“We talked about how cool it would be for the youth in the area to have a camp in the summer where they could learn bike safety,” Thomas said but the idea didn’t progress beyond that until a year later when Eric suggested they present the idea to the Vancouver Parks Director. The proposal was approved, “Then the work began,” said Thomas. She indicated that a key to launching the program was when Fort Vancouver National Historic Site offered space at the Historic Reserve to house the camps. The space was Building 410, a bare bones facility that is situated along a multiple use pedestrian and bicycle path that provides an ideal location for riders to try out their new skills.

Bike Clark County provided use of their fleet of bicycles from the Safe Routes to School programs for participants that did not have their own bicycle, as well as a team of well trained volunteer mechanics to ensure that all bicycles used were safe and functional. Registration and instruction was handled by Vancouver Parks and Recreation Department.

The camps were run by Heidi Marshall, the Fitness Coordinator at both the Firstenburg and Marshall Community Centers. Despite her busy work schedule, Marshall was excited to step up to run Bike Skills 101, “I thought it was a perfect fit. Bikes go hand in hand with recreation, fitness, and exercise.”

The camp had 80 kids in its first season with a goal of introducing “kids to fun outdoor exercise, maintenance, and road skills on a bike,” according to Marshall. They used a combination of the League of American Bicyclists Traffic Skills 101 and Safe Routes to School national curriculums to teach kids basic rules of the road, bicycle safety checks, and riding skills. The morning sessions were spent with classroom time and the afternoons focused on practical skills and eventually longer rides.

After finding the location, the most daunting challenge in kicking off the camps was, “Finding the perfect team to run it, which we did. They did a wonderful job and I hope that we will see them running the camp again next year,” said Marshall.

Bike Skills 101 Instructor Hannah Gunter agrees, “A pilot program always has challenges, but we had a great staff and support to overcome them.”

Giacchino recognizes how critical the partnership was, “The relationships with The Fort and Parks and Rec was the key. Bike Clark County had all the equipment and technical expertise but we needed these other organizations to bring it all together”.

He also recognized the critical role that Bike Clark County volunteer mechanics played in making the Camps run smoothly, “The shop guys were key to making this thing work. Without them keeping the bikes rolling we wouldn’t have been able to have a bike safety camp.”

Aaron Gibson has been volunteering for Bike Clark County as a mechanic and bike maintenance shop manager for the last three years. He sees his donated time as well worth it, “Once you do what we do and truly see the joy on these kids’ faces, you know you’re truly making a difference.” He feels that the program would be even more successful if Bike Clark County could grow into having paid staff and a brick and mortar shop space, “If I could ask for anything it would be a legitimate bike shop, open seven days a week, in the heart of Clark County….we could send hundreds of kids through camps each year.”

Looking To the Future

All of the partners are looking forward to building on the success of this year and growing the program. “I have a vision for it. I’d love to see it grow and see it become an even stronger and more wonderful program serving our community,” saidTracy Fortmann, Superintendent of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Giacchino shares this vision, “I’d love to see year round, expanded programs for kids and adults also. Tracy envisioned even higher levels of camps like bike touring. The Fort is the perfect place to do all this. My dream would be to find someone to help us make improvements on Building 410 at the Fort to really take things to the next level. We could have a regional bike destination there with a small bike shop, bike rentals, and even a hostel upstairs for bike tourists!”

“I am excited to see the growth and changes for next year,” said Marshall, noting the need for some structural changes like expanding the camp for four to six weeks and separating into two separate camps based on participant age with half-day camps for kids ages 6-10 and full day camps for those 11-14.

She also notes some practical needs. This year’s camps overlapped with extremely hot weather with many days in the 90s and even several 100 degree days with no air conditioning or other amenities She would like to see volunteers to support the staff, a building makeover, and a full size refrigerator with a freezer.

Posted in Education, Kids | Tagged education, kids, Safe Routes to School, Safety Education, Vancouver | Comments Off

Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals Names Barb Chamberlain Nonprofit Professional of the Year

By Louise McGrody | Published September 17, 2015

Barb-Chamberlain-bike-WABikes-car-1_030215 The Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals (APBP) announced the winners of its annual awards program to honor excellence in the profession. Four Professional of the Year awards will be presented at its annual meeting in St. Louis on September 30, 2015.

The Professional of the Year Awards recognize the achievements of four pedestrian and bicycle professionals made during the 12-month period between the summer of 2014 and the summer of 2015—one private sector professional, one public sector professional, one nonprofit sector professional and one young professional under the age of 30.

James Wilson, Executive Director of Bike Delaware, nominated Chamberlain, saying, “Barb Chamberlain’s leadership at Washington Bikes in 2015 set the stage for citizens, advocates and policy makers to work together to achieve a significant funding and policy victory. The Washington State Legislature dedicated nearly $40 million per biennium for the next 16 years for bicycling and Safe Routes to School projects. In addition, it funded the Complete Streets Grant Program at $106 million. May this achievement in a state ranked as the #1 Bicycle Friendly State in the U.S. for eight straight years lead to a peloton of other state legislatures in pursuit!”

The 2015 Professional of the Year-Public Sector goes to Sean Co for his work as a Transportation Planner at the Metropolitan Transportation Committee. Mr. Co is now with the Toole Design Group. Jessie Holzer, Mobility Deputy, Office of Councilmember Mike Bonin, City of Los Angeles, received the coveted Young Professional of the Year award. Jessica Roberts, Principal, Alta Planning, received the Private Sector Professional of the Year award.

The 2015 APBP Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Deb Hubsmith, Founder of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, at a private ceremony at her home just prior to her death on August 18. APBP is very grateful to APBP member Wendi Kallins for making the presentation to her long-time colleague and friend. Ms. Hubsmith was an inspiration to all APBP members.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have made a substantial commitment to the profession and who have shown excellence in the field of bicycle and pedestrian planning, design, advocacy, and/or education. The award distinguishes those whose vision and determination have made their communities better places to bicycle and walk and who inspire others to succeed.

Sean Co served on the planning committee for Moving Active Transportation to Higher Ground: Opportunities for Accelerating the Assessment of Health Impacts conference in April 2015. There, he shared his work to develop one of the first methodologies to assess the health impacts of active transportation projects for the Bay Area Regional Transportation Plan. Sean played a key role in implementing the MTC’s Complete Streets Policy as part of MTC’s One Bay Area Grant, a $320 million dollar program that resulted in 58 new complete streets resolutions and 34 general plans meeting complete streets requirements.

Jessie Holzer was nominated by her peers for this award because of her trademark enthusiasm and passion for her work in active transportation. She has been instrumental in delivering Mayor Garcetti’s and Councilmember Bonin’s vision for the Venice Boulevard Great Street Project. Jessie actively advanced the Young Professional program at APBP through her hands-on work with the 2014-2015 Mentorship Initiative. She co-founded the APBP SoCal/LA chapter. Jessie has applied her dual Masters degrees in City and Regional Planning and Transportation Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, to rise quickly in her field.

Jessica Roberts’ work with clients combines education, encouragement and equity in innovative TDM programs. Her “out-of-the-box approach” was highlighted by her Pecha Kucha talk delivered in Haiku about Kidical Mass as a change agent at the 2014 Pro Walk / Pro Bike / Pro Place conference. Nominators lauded her collaborative work with community leaders to “develop smart, effective programs that inspire people to change their transportation habits” as well as her willingness to share her expertise as a guest lecturer at Portland State University, on social media and via list serves (e.g., APBP and the Bike Equity Network).

APBP Executive Director Kit Keller noted, “This year’s five award winners illustrate the range of skills, talents and abilities in our profession. Their peers recognized and nominated them because of their significant accomplishments.”

About APBP

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals provides onsite and virtual education and networking for active transportation. APBP is the only professional membership organization for the discipline of pedestrian and bicycle transportation. APBP members are employees of all levels of government, consulting firms and non-profits; they work in the fields of engineering, planning, architecture, landscape architecture, police, safety, health and promotion and specialize in making places walkable and bicycle-friendly. Students may join APBP. A growing number of APBP chapters offer enlivened networking opportunities for professionals and students alike. For more information about the association, visit www.apbp.org.

The Washington State chapter of APBP was the first local chapter established in the US, founded in 2013 with the participation of Washington Bikes, Feet First, and representatives of local design, planning and engineering firms.

Posted in Advocacy, News | Comments Off

It’s Time for 5th Grade Bicycle Poster Contest!

By Louise McGrody | Published September 16, 2015

Most of us first experience the joy of riding a bike as children. It’s exhilarating, a taste of freedom!

That connection we develop with bicycling can last a lifetime. It’s a way to spend time with friends and family. It’s a mode of transport to school and work. It’s a way to recreate and stay fit. It’s a vehicle to explore the neighborhood, parks, and the world.

It’s that lifetime connection to cycling that has inspired the theme for this year’s 5th Grade National Bicycle Poster Contest: #longfortheride.

First Place poster for WA in 2014

Saris is again sponsoring the 5th Grade National Bicycle Poster Contest and Washington Bikes is calling on our schools to participate in this fun event! Students are invited to create a poster illustrating what they love about the bicycle—a great classroom activity.

Each participating school selects their own winner and submits the poster to Washington Bikes for the State Contest. Submissions from the schools are due by October 21. The state winner will be entered into the national contest. Email Louise@wabikes.org if your school is participating in the contest. Contest rules can be found here.

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in the State Contest:

First Place: Schwinn bicycle, Schwinn helmet and Schwinn bell
Second Place: Schwinn helmet and Schwinn bell
Third Place: Schwinn helmet

One national winner will receive a three day/two night trip for two (parent/guardian and child) to Washington DC for the 2016 National Bike Summit. The national winner’s school will receive bike parking and The Hub, an interactive system to encourage active commuting.

This is the fifth year that Saris and Washington Bikes have organized National Bicycle Poster Contest. Past Washington state contest winners have included students from Battle Ground and Port Angeles. Information about past winners can be found on our Bicycle Poster Contest page.

Check here for poster contest rules.

Email Louise@wabikes.org if your school is participating in the contest. Your school’s poster submission must be received by Washington Bikes by October 21.

Posted in Asotin County, Encouragement, Kids | Tagged bicycle poster contest, encouragement, kids | Comments Off

Riding to the Top of the Olympic Peninsula on Hurricane Ridge

By Josh Cohen | Published September 15, 2015

Feel like a champion for having ticked off a beautiful ride that includes one of the best climbs in America.

Distance: 80.7 Miles
Elevation gain: 8,270 feet of climbing
Good for: intermediate to advanced riders
Highlights: challenging climbing, fantastic scenery, 17.5 mile descent

It’s easy to see why Hurricane Ridge is the tourist destination it is. It rises to an elevation of 5,242 feet and provides a spectacular and unique view of the Olympic Mountains at the top. And, given that the 17.5-mile climb to the top starts in Port Angeles (elevation 34 feet), it’s easy to see why cyclists come from all around to test themselves on Hurricane Ridge Road. The Global Cycling Network recently named it one of the Top 10 road climbs in America.

If you’re just riding Hurricane Ridge, you don’t really need a guide. Park at the base of Hurricane Ridge Rd, point your bike up, suffer for a few hours of climbing, enjoy the views, enjoy the descent. But if you’re coming from a ways away, it’s nice to extend the ride by parking in Sequim and riding the relatively-flat and very scenic Olympic Discovery Trail to and from the climb.

There is a free public parking lot with restrooms on Sequim Ave just north of Washington St (and half a block from Hurricane Coffee Company). It makes for a very convenient starting point for cyclists driving from out of town.

Start heading north on Sequim Ave for .5 miles. Immediately after crossing Hendrickson Ave, take a left onto the Olympic Discovery Trail. After another .5 miles take a right onto 5^th Ave. Unfortunately a flood on the Dungeness River damaged a key bridge and cyclists must detour 3 miles around it for the time being.

After .5 miles on 5^th, take a left onto Old Olympic Highway. Stay on this for 2.7 mile then take a left onto Heath Rd. After another 1.3 miles take a right to rejoin the Olympic Discovery Trail. You’ll spend the next 16 miles on the trail winding through lovely forests, farmland, and eventually right along the Strait of Juan de Fuca as you get near Port Angeles. Most of the trail is relatively flat railroad grade, but there are a few punchy rollers thrown into the mix. None of them are long, but it’s a bit surprising if you’re used to the Burke Gilman or Centennial Trails.

At mile 21 you’ll reach Francis Street Park in downtown Port Angeles. This is your signal to get off the trail. Take a left onto Francis and climb west into town. After .3 miles take a left onto 1^st St then your immediate next right onto Race St.

Though you’re not yet on Hurricane Ridge Rd, this is where the climb starts. You’ll climb out of downtown for about a mile as Race St becomes Mt. Angeles Rd. After .2 miles on Mt. Angeles, hang a slight right to continue on Hurricane Ridge Rd. You’ll climb for about 5 miles before you get a nice excuse to rest for a second at the park tollbooth. It’s $7 per cyclist entering the park, so bring some cash.

From there you’ve got 12 more miles of steady 5-8 percent grade climb ahead of you. Assuming you’re a mere mortal, you can expect at least two hours of climbing from the start of Hurricane Ridge Road. It is undeniably a slog and, if you’re anything like me, there will be times that you’re singing to yourself or doing weird math to calculate how far you’ve got left to climb or questioning why you even like riding bikes.

On the plus side there are fantastic views all along the way. At the start of the climb you’ll be riding through beautiful forests and past the occasional snow melt waterfall (depending on the time of year). As you climb higher and higher the trees start thinning out and eventually you get above tree line and into the alpine. As you progress, the views of the valleys and peaks off to your left get more and more spectacular. It’s well worth the suffering.

And eventually you get to the top! Spend some time taking in the stunning, panoramic views, refuel with snacks in the visitors center, then get ready for the other reward for your hours of climbing. The twisty, winding descent back to Port Angeles is thrilling. It can also be a little spooky when you catch a view of the steep drop offs to your right in your peripheral or some impatient RV driver picks a terrible time to pass. But for the most part people are respectful and the descent is a ton of fun.

Once you’re back to town it’s simply a matter of retracing your steps on the Olympic Discovery Trail 20 miles back to Sequim. Those 20 miles can feel like a bit of drag after that monster climb, but you’ll be back before you know it and feeling like a champion for having ticked off a beautiful ride that includes one of America’s best climbs.

Posted in Adventure, Olympic Peninsula, Port Angeles, Rides, Rural | Comments Off

Rep. Rick Larsen Leads House to Protect Transportation Alternatives Funding

By Blake Trask | Published September 10, 2015

Today Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-2) led all US House of Representatives Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in requesting funding for a popular program that supports community investments in infrastructure for better biking and walking.

On Labor Day 2015, Representative Larsen joined Washington Bikes, elected officials, and business and organization representatives from Snohomish and Skagit counties on a bike ride along the Centennial Trail.

Larsen and his colleagues asked Committee Ranking Member Peter DeFazio and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Ranking Member Eleanor Holmes Norton for their continued support of the Transportation Alternatives Program. The letter outlined the clear benefits and rationale for sustaining this funding as the House considers reauthorizing federal transportation funding moving forward.

“Less than 2 percent of federal transportation funding goes to the Transportation Alternatives Program, which funds bike and pedestrian projects. But communities leverage these small funds to get big results. To make sure safety comes first for everyone who uses our roads, whether they bike, bus, drive or walk, local communities need these resources to invest in bike lanes, sidewalks and trails. Better bike and pedestrian infrastructure not only improves safety, it benefits people’s quality of life by cutting down on traffic congestion and pollution,” Larsen said.

Right now the House of Representatives is deliberating whether to consider a multiyear reauthorization or a short-term funding patch as it develops a longer transportation funding package.

Representative Larsen with supporters of better bicycling at the Nakashima Trailhead on the Centennial Trail

Washington Bikes thanks Representative Larsen for his leadership to protect this critical Transportation Alternatives funding that in Washington state supports Safe Routes to School projects, as well as numerous critical biking and walking projects chosen by local jurisdictions statewide.

“Representative Larsen gets it,” said Washington Bikes Executive Director Barb Chamberlain. “He sees that these smart investments in biking improve the health and safety of Washington children, and also grow local economies statewide. Local communities are clamoring for better bicycling connections that open towns and cities up to the $3.1 billion in annual spending that bicycle riders contribute to Washington state’s economy. Preserving the Transportation Alternatives Program does just that.”

This leadership for safer streets isn’t new from the Congressman who represents much of the northern portion of Puget Sound. Late last year he led a request to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to learn more about the trends and causes of collisions involving pedestrians and bicycles and to make recommendations about improving safety on our streets.

His interest in making better cycling connections has led him to events at the Guemes Channel Trail, and on Monday he spent a few hours on a bike ride with Washington Bikes and Snohomish and Skagit county representatives to see the Centennial Trail and to learn about the potential in trail extensions on the Whitehorse Trail, and north to Skagit County and south to King County.

Posted in Advocacy, Arlington, Economic Impact, Federal, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, News, Safe Routes to School, Skagit County, Snohomish County, Tourism, Trails, Transportation | Comments Off

Remembering Jerry Baker

By Louise McGrody | Published September 10, 2015

One of many Jerry Baker images shared on Facebook.

The Washington cycling community feels a lot smaller today. Jerry Baker, the godfather of northwest cycling, passed away in Philadelphia after a brief illness.

I first met Jerry in 1994 when I joined the staff of Washington Bikes (then Northwest Bicycle Federation). He phoned me during my first week on the job to introduce himself as a board member and welcome me to the organization. I liked the man immediately!

Not long after that, Jerry dropped by the office to chat about bicycling. He painted a picture of the Washington bike scene in great detail for me. He told me stories about his cycling life, the early days of Cascade Bicycle Club, helping to found Washington Bikes, his involvement in cycling events, and more. When I asked him how he knew so much about the bike world, he casually acknowledged that he was in the thick of it.

And he was in the thick of it. Jerry’s vision, leadership and passion helped shape the bike scene in our state. Washington Bikes, Cascade Bicycle Club and Marymoor Velodrome Association all claim Jerry Baker as an important founder to our respective organizations. He has influenced so many facets of bicycling, from bike clubs and bike advocacy to bike racing and cyclocross. For northwest cycling, he was THE MAN.

Tributes, an outpouring of affection, thanks and sadness at the loss of Jerry are appearing in social media. He leaves a hole in the hearts of many. Our thoughts are with wife Spot and family.

Ride on, JB.

You can read a Cascade Bicycle Club profile on Jerry Baker from earlier this year.

Posted in News, People | 2 Comments

30 Days of Biking September 2015: Are You In?

By Barb Chamberlain | Published September 1, 2015

Kidical Mass ride in Wenatchee. Kidical Massive worldwide is Sept. 19 — another great excuse to roll.

We’ve egged you on for 30 Days of Biking before in April 2014 and 2015. This informal challenge has one point: Riding your bike every day. Its creators aren’t doing anything official to promote it for September, although they have in the past. We’re just picking up on the suggestion via Twitter that we push it out there to see what happens.

Riding every day in September in Washington is going to present more challenges in some parts of the state than in others. We have hundreds of thousands of acres burned and burning. People have lost homes, businesses, pets, and loved ones. Western Washington went from abnormal heat to wet and windy pretty much overnight.

So why bother?

Five reasons:

The National Bike Challenge, which started in April, runs through September. This is the last month to get some miles in and make them count in that setting.
The annual statewide bike/pedestrian count takes place Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 so you’ll be warming up all month for the riding days when volunteers around the state are collecting data that helps in our state policy work and the efforts of local advocates.
Coffeeneuring is coming. Another fun, informal, just-because challenge, this year it’s Oct. 3 – Nov. 21. We’ll again encourage you to explore by bike to consume 7 cups in 7 weeks (any seasonally suitable beverage, not just coffee) as we did in 2014. You know you loved it; the participation showed on Twitter. Think of 30 Days of Biking as your training rides for those arduous coffee-shop expeditions.
It keeps you going past the “easy” months, when the weather typically rewards getting outside, and into the tougher shoulder months. As one recent research study showed, people who choose to bike or walk for their commute are significantly more emotionally committed to their transportation choices than are people who drive or take transit.
You’re up for it! When we promoted it in April we saw plenty of participation on Twitter and on Instagram.

Recycle Shop weekly ride in Ellensburg.

Every ride, no matter how short, counts. If you have to ride your bike around the block in the dark after you get home late on a day that for some reason didn’t include riding, you do it just to check the box. Trainer time counts too; it’s about turning the wheels. The many bike clubs around Washington state organize rides that can give you some company; check them out even if you’ve never ridden with a group.

Bonus Reason #6: Prizes and Stuff

Pledge to ride and then tell us how you’re doing via comments here, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter, Instagram and Vine with the tag #30daysofbiking and #WAbikes. On Twitter include @WAbikes in your tweet. Share a link here if you write about this on your own blog, or consider writing a guest post for us about your experience.

When you talk about it we’ll enter you in a drawing. Your prize could be a WA Bikes coffee mug, snazzy made-in-Yakima 100% recycled aluminum water bottle, coaster that says “I Bike WA,” or something else. Just remember to tag us.

And while you’re at it, remember to #WavebackWA. In addition to being the most Bicycle Friendly State, let’s make it the Friendliest Bike State.

Sign up with us and we’ll also send you some snazzy “I Arrived by Bike” business cards that you can leave behind when you make a stop along the way.

[Tweet “I’m riding #30DaysofBiking in September. Join me! #WAbikes”]

BikesMeanBusiness_backlogo7

When you sign up you can also request our pocket guide to Washington state bike laws, our “Drive Aware” brochure (great to share with a non-bicycling friend or co-worker), and our “Go By Bike” tips on bike commuting.

Sign Up to Get Awesome “Bikes Mean Business” Cards and More

Put #30DaysofBiking in the comment form on the field to be entered in the prize drawing.

Name *

First

Last name *

Last

Email Address *

Mailing Address

City *

ZIP code *

Phone (optional, but if we have a problem with your email address it helps if we can call to verify)

Twitter account (optional; follow @WAbikes for statewide news, challenges, and policy)

Optional: tell us about your biking interests (check all that apply):

If other, please describe

Comments

reCAPTCHA

We send e-news, action alerts, Bike Challenge information, and occasional emails asking for your support of our work.

[Tweet “Get your I Arrived by Bike cards & spread the word while you ride #30DaysofBiking. #bikesmeanbusiness”]

Your Turn:

What’s your usual response to this kind of “can you do it?” bike challenge?
What would keep you from completing the challenge?
What can you do to overcome those issues? If you post them here we can all help you work through them.
Have you done this before? What was your experience?
Do you keep a #BikeIt list of things you want to accomplish?

Posted in Attitudes, Events, News | Comments Off

Walk a Block on My Crutches

By Louise McGrody | Published September 1, 2015

While you were taking advantage of this record setting summer to enjoy bicycling, I’ve been sidelined by a broken ankle. Instead, I have spent the past six weeks navigating my West Seattle neighborhood and the streets surrounding my workplace in Pioneer Square on a pair of crutches. It’s given me a new appreciation for the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and a more critical eye on how we design our public spaces.

The ADA prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for people with disabilities in employment, government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation. It’s because of the ADA, that many (but not all) of our street corners have curb ramps, elevators and ramps are installed in our public facilities, and much more.

My neighborhood is a walkable one and I live within five blocks of grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, a hardware store, numerous restaurants and coffee shops, the farmers market, and the transit center. I can walk to almost any service in about five minutes—until I broke my ankle. Crutching to my neighborhood destinations now takes more time and energy in order to rest my shoulders and arms, or take the least hilliest route.

Before I broke my ankle, I could bike to work in just under 30 minutes. These days, my commute involves a three-block crutch to the transit center, two bus rides, and a three-block crutch to the office. This takes me about an hour.

However, I can still make my way around thanks to the changes in the physical environment that have occurred as a result of the ADA. With some planning and prioritization, I still manage to accomplish much of what I need to do.

I’d like to share a few random observations about life on crutches:

Crutching effectively leaves you without the use of your hands. I learned to put drinks in lidded containers with handles so I could transport them. I got into the habit of wearing clothes with pockets so I could easily carry small things with me. I don’t leave the house without a backpack.

Opening heavy doors are a challenge. Without full use of my arms, I often have to open a door in stages using my crutch to keep to keep a hinged door open while I slip in or out. Automatic doors are my friends!

Kneeling transit buses rock. All transit buses should be designed this way. These are the buses that have no steps and can be lowered close to the curb to make it easier to enter and exit. Be sure to enter and exit from the front door so the driver sees you.

Stairs suck. Although I can negotiate a short flight of stairs on crutches, I feel vulnerable and awkward. And steps will stop you cold in a wheelchair.

My final take away is this: Accessible environments are people-friendly environments.

What cyclist hasn’t used an ADA curb cut to cross a street intersection? Those trail and sidewalk ramps make crossing streets easier for parents with strollers, delivery people, kids on skateboards, and people on crutches and in wheelchairs. Those kneeling buses make boarding and exiting easier for moms with strollers, shoppers with carts, folks with wheeled luggage, and me on my crutches.

Who uses those ADA accessible elevators at the LINK light rail station? It’s bike commuters, travelers carrying luggage and packages, parents with strollers, the elderly, as well as the wheelchair user. We all benefit from accessible public space.

Posted in Accessibility | Tagged accessibility, infrastructure, mobility, public space | 4 Comments

Tacoma Sunday Parkways: Downtown to Defiance 2015

By Guest Blogger | Published August 31, 2015

This post comes to us from Lowell Wyse, Sustainability Intern for the City of Tacoma.

Bicyclists know the empowering feeling of “taking the lane,” asserting their legal rightto ride on a street where motor vehicles normally reign supreme. Next month in Tacoma, that feeling will be widely available to everyone—for four glorious hours!—as people flock to Tacoma for the Sunday Parkways event known as Downtown t0Defiance.

On Sunday, September 13 from 9am – 1pm, the City of Tacoma and Metro Parks will host this 3^rd-annual Open Streets event, opening up almost seven miles of roadways to all forms of human-powered transportation. The course runs along the Foss Waterway and Commencement Bay waterfront areas, from south downtown near the Tacoma Dome to the end of the Ruston Way and the Waterwalk near Point Defiance Park. There will be additional activities in five parks along the route, including lawn croquet, an obstacle course, a skateboard park, and food trucks. The event is free to all members of the public, and the first 500 people to register at DowntowntoDefiance.com will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate to a local business.

Why you should go:

The scenery on the route is crazy beautiful. Seals (and sometimes orcas) frolic just offshore. The view of Mount Rainier from sea level is insane. Point Defiance Park, just beyond the official course, is an urban old-growth forest with 5 miles of paved roadway and great views of the Sound. It’s all gorgeous, even when it rains.
The event is geared toward all ages and abilities. This is a festive event that brings all kinds of people out into the streets, with people on feet, bikes, scooters, unicycles, wheelchairs, skateboards— any human-powered mode you can imagine! Participants are invited to join the course at any point along the route. You can jump in and out at your favorite spot, bike the full round-trip route, or just keep on going. An extended ride could take you around the 5-Mile Drive at Point Defiance, over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge or on the ferry over to Vashon Island. You’ve got options!
You can get there with transit. The downtown starting point is only blocks away from the Tacoma Dome Station transit center, with express buses arriving from Olympia, Seattle (downtown and U-District), and places in between. The “Defiance” end of the course is accessible via the Vashon Island ferries. More information about the transportation options is available atSound Transit, Pierce Transit, Downtown Tacoma Bike map (pdf), Pierce County Bike map, and Washington State Ferries.
Open Streets events raise public awareness of and enthusiasm for bicycling.We should support them! (If you can’t attend, you can always make a donation.) This is the only event of its kind in the South Sound region. Tacoma has an increasingly active bicycle culture including Kidical Mass and Velofemmes, an awesome Bike Swap, and a mayor who declared 2015 “The Year of the Bike.” Downtown to Defiance is also a way of leveraging support for a proposed trail along the waterfront, which would increase safety and enjoyment for all users.

To view photos from previous years and find out more information, including how tovolunteer at the event, visit DowntowntoDefiance.com or Tacoma Mobility. We hopeto see you there!

Posted in Events, News | Tagged bike ride, encouragement, events, open streets, Tacoma | Comments Off

Sayonara Summer: First Thursday Bike Social

By Louise McGrody | Published August 28, 2015

September 3 is First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square and we can’t think of a better way to send off this amazing summer than with a bike social! So join the gathering hosted by your friends at the Nord Building: Washington Bikes, The WAVE Foundation, and Back Alley Bike Repair.

We’ll have reps on hand from Cycle the WAVE, Washington Bikes, She Bikes Cascade and Seattle Cycle Sirens woman’s cycle team- with a free onsite drawing for cool door prizes at 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

There will also be on-site specials from Nuu-Muu (fun & flattering exercise dresses), Pocampo (functional & stylish bags) and the Washington Bikes gift shop will be open for your shopping pleasure. Registration discounts will be available to the September 20 Cycle the WAVE ride. Libations at the bar include beer from our great pals at Peddlers Brewing.

Sayonara Summer: First Thursday Bike Social
September 3, 5:30-8:00 pm
Washington Bikes

Posted in Events, News, Seattle | Tagged events, Seattle | Comments Off