Money Time! *

By Blake Trask | Published April 11, 2015

Less than two weeks remain in the 2015 State Legislative Session. Whether or not the State Legislature ends on April 26 and doesn’t go to special session is largely about agreeing on revenues and spending priorities. As session comes down to the wire, Washington Bikes continues to track several key issues that impact bicycle investments statewide.

After almost three months where discussions about policies have been at the forefront, the budgets that have been brewing for the same time in Committee offices are finally seeing the light-of-day. Following Wednesday’s release of the Senate Capital Budget, both chambers’ three budgets (operating, capital, and transportation) are now public. In addition, the Senate Transportation Committee released its version of a multi-year, multi-billion transportation revenue package  in mid-February and the House version appears imminent.

traffic signal showing red light

SSB 5438 passed in the House and Senate will help bicycle riders address broken red lights.

Following Washington Bikes’ success in passing the Dead Red bill that provides a solution for bicycle riders that encounter broken red lights, it’s time to follow the money.

Transportation Revenue Package

Transportation stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the House Transportation Committee chair’s release of a transportation spending package. Reports now indicate a release as early as Monday or Tuesday. Following the expected release of the House proposal, negotiators from the House and Senate will likely begin negotiations between their two proposals.

Washington Bikes, American Heart Association, Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition, and over 40 other organizations are asking for increased and sustained funding for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety and Safe Routes to School Grant Programs. This proposal would begin to address some, but not all of the backlog where on average only one out of four Safe Routes to School projects and a little over 10% of the Bicycle and Pedestrian projects are funded.

If you haven’t already, go take less than 60 seconds to sign the Washington Bikes letter requesting greater investments in biking and safety and send it to your state representatives right away.

2015-17 Biennial Transportation Budget

The first week of April saw almost simultaneous releases of the House and Senate budgets for the 2015-17 biennial transportation budget. These proposals are for the base two-year state budget for transportation spending. Due to the increasing financing costs due to past bonding from the 2003 and 2005 gas tax increases, the biennial transportation continues to become more austere.

Safe Routes to School and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Grant Programs felt the impact of these continuing budget cuts. The House Transportation budget, which passed in the House on Thursday night, invests a little over $21 million in these two grant programs. That’s down from a 13-15 high of $30.45 million. The source of decline? An end to $4 million in 2005 gas tax dollars and the lack of passage of Senator Andy Billig’s legislation to establish a floor for federal investments. The Senate version of the biennial budget did not pass out of its Committee.

2015-17 Capital Budget

The Capital Budget is important for Washington Bikes because of individual capital budget requests, as well as the Trail Projects category in the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP).Rocky-Reach-Trail-Phase-I-Ribbon-Cutting-south-from-Lincoln-Rock-State-Park-Wenatchee-pic-by-Complete-the-Loop-Coalition

An encouraging feature out of both the House and Senate Capital Budgets is they fund WWRP at relatively high numbers – $75 million and $68 million respectively.

Where the budgets diverge is that the House version follows the funding formula identified in WWRP’s statute, but the Senate chose to “pause” on the WWRP formula in the 2015-17 biennium to continue discussions over a maintenance backlog on property acquisition and to also attempt to address the high demand for parks and trails in WWRP. The result of the Senate proposal is that multi-use trails are funded at a much higher rate, but habitat and property acquisitions are not.

Washington Bikes is continuing to work with our partners and legislators to understand this change and to address the potential shift in investments as the negotiations over the final Capital Budget continue.

Next Steps

With a likely imminent release of the House’s version of the transportation revenue package, follow Washington Bikes on Twitter, Facebook, and this site for updates and action alerts to write your legislators.

Thanks for your support of Washington Bikes – keep in touch by signing up on our mailing list and help us continue our legislative work by donating here.

* Credit for this post’s title goes to a subtitle in Senator Andy Billig’s most recent newsletter – it was a title we couldn’t resist.

Posted in Advocacy, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Legislature, News, Politics, Safe Routes to School, Trails, Transportation | Comments Off on Money Time! *

Spokane Bicycle Club helps keep Reardan rolling

By Seth Schromen-Wawrin | Published April 9, 2015

A big thank you goes out to members of the Spokane Bicycle Club and two excellent bike mechanics from North Division Bicycles and Wheel Sport. Last weekend they took a few hours of their day to tune up the bicycle fleet used by Reardan-Edwall School District to teach the Bike and Pedestrian Safety Education Program.

IMG_9954

(Left to Right) Garry Kehr, Dan Nordendale (North Division), Nate Espinosa (Wheel Sport), Eric Henningsen, Norma Baker, John Beaton, Harry Stickney, Gary Reymers, David Zack. Stacey Kobes is missing from the photo because she had to leave for another appointment (on her bike, of course)

These 32 bikes go through a lot in a school year. Each bike gets used by dozens of middle school students who learn bike handling skills and traffic rules. It is not unusual for a class to have a few students who have not yet had the opportunity to learn how to ride. These bikes help teach the next generation how to be safe, learn a lifelong skill, and have more transportation independence.

It is essential to the longevity of the program that the bikes are safe and keep rolling. Every season before students ride the bikes, 64 tubes need re-inflated, 32 chains need cleaned and lubed, 64 brakes need tested, 128 brake pads may need adjusted, and 32 derailleurs need checked out and tweaked. That’s a lot of parts to look at!

IMG_9939

In many districts, all this is done by an amazing teacher or staff person at the school, all out of the goodness of their heart and dedication to helping kids ride bikes. In some districts, when they have the funds, a bike shop is hired to maintain the bikes. And a few places have community groups like Spokane Bicycle Club who volunteer to tune up the bikes.

Eight Spokane Bicycle Club members and two excellent bike mechanics from our sponsors, North Division Bicycles and Wheel Sport came together on a Friday to tune up the bikes. The mechanics from North Division and Wheel Sport were an essential addition to the Spokane Bicycle Club volunteers. They helped in tackling bicycles needing repair that were beyond “backyard mechanic” skills.

Garry Kehr, the president of SBC, provided these thoughts:
“Spokane Bicycle Club believes in being a contributing part of a larger community. Specifically, we believe in the mission and work of Safe Routes to Schools, including efforts in Spokane like Walking School Bus and Walk, Bike, Bus programs that encourage more youth and adults to walk and bike for transportation. These program train young parents and kids that walking and bicycling are safe, healthy and fun. Ultimately we all get a pay back in a cleaner environment, less traffic congestion and a healthier population that puts less strain on the medical system. Additionally, doing these kinds of community projects helps our club be a closer and more vibrant club. We all win by supporting one another.”
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This community support is a great asset to schools around the state and the whole bike movement. More and more community groups are coming together to support bike programs as more school districts have bike fleets and teach bike safety skills. Thank you Spokane Bicycle Club.
Posted in News | Comments Off on Spokane Bicycle Club helps keep Reardan rolling

We Did It! Dead Red Bill Passes in Legislature – Moves to Governor’s Desk

By Blake Trask | Published April 8, 2015

This morning Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5438, aka the Dead Red Bill, was pulled in the House Rules Committee and by the afternoon the House of Representatives passed it on the floor by a bipartisan vote of 78-19. Next this legislation that provides bicycle riders a safe and reasonable procedure to proceed through broken traffic signals that fail to detect bicycles moves to the Governor’s desk.

Barely over a year ago at the signing ceremony for SB 5141 Governor Inslee wondered aloud as to why bicycle riders were not included in legislation allowing motorcycle riders to address traffic signals that are broken. Now SSB 5438, which now provides riders of bicycles and electric-assist bicycles the same provisions to address faulty traffic infrastructure, will head to his desk to be signed into law.

traffic signal showing red light

SSB 5438 passed in the House and Senate will help bicycle riders address broken red lights.

SSB 5438 builds on legislation passed in 2014 allowing for motorcycles to stop and proceed or make left-hand turns through traffic control signals that do not detect motorcycles under certain very limited conditions with a specific protocol that is clear and understood by law enforcement.

In the Senate Transportation Committee, the bill was amended to make some improvements, including accounting for carbon fiber bikes that are even more challenging for many traffic signals to detect than standard metal frames. It also provides the same provision for moped users to address broken red lights.

Washington Bikes thanks Senator Curtis King (R-Yakima) for his sponsorship of SSB 5438 and continuing support of legislation that improves predictability and gives bicycle riders a clear protocol for dealing with faulty transportation infrastructure that doesn’t detect their bikes.

SB 5438 builds upon legislation passed in 2009 and led by Washington Bikes, with the help of the Washington Road Riders, that requires all jurisdictions to make traffic signals detect bicycles and motorcycles (subject to the availability of funds), if they are undergoing maintenance (also, with priority to complaints made), and if they are installed after July 26, 2009.

“Ultimately,” says Washington Bikes Executive Director, Barb Chamberlain, “we at Washington Bikes hope there comes a time when all traffic signals detect bicycles and motorcycles and this new law becomes moot. Until then, bicycle riders and motorcyclists should have a safe and clear protocol for how to address broken red lights.”

[Tweet “Thx #waleg for passing bill to address broken traffic signals. I’m w/@WAbikes on this.”]

And always, if you get stuck at a red light, call, email, or Tweet it in to the city, county, or state transportation department in charge so they can fix it according to state law.

Take Action Today for Greater Investments in Biking

With only weeks remaining in the 2015 legislative session, Washington Bikes and its supporters are turning their attention to the transportation revenue package.

Right now in the House of Representatives budget negotiations are in full swing to spend billions of additional dollars on transportation.

Unfortunately, there’s a good chance that little to no new money will go to walking and biking connections and programs to help children walk and bike to school with the safety they deserve.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Join us and tell your Representatives to make a difference for a generation by prioritizing funding for Safe Routes to School and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety and Mobility investments.

Posted in Advocacy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Legal, Legislature, News, Politics, Safety, Transportation | Comments Off on We Did It! Dead Red Bill Passes in Legislature – Moves to Governor’s Desk

Take Action: Make a Difference for the Next Generation of Biking

By Blake Trask | Published April 7, 2015
Let you representative know today that you want better biking in Washington state.

Let you representative know today that you want better biking in Washington state.

Right now in the House of Representatives budget negotiations are in full swing to spend billions of additional dollars on transportation.

Unfortunately, there’s a good chance that little to no new money will go to walking and biking connections and programs to help children walk and bike to school with the safety they deserve.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Tell your Representative to make a difference for a generation by prioritizing funding for Safe Routes to School and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety and Mobility investments.

Across America and around the world, leaders are prioritizing safer biking and walking because these investments are integral to building stronger economies, healthier communities, and transportation connections that work for you. Washington state leaders have the opportunity to prioritize these investments too, but they need to hear from you today.

This is real funding that will make a real difference toward providing everyone with the freedom to safely bike to get where they need to go. We can’t afford to miss this opportunity to invest for today’s children and generations to come.

Take action NOW to tell your Representative investments in safe, healthy transportation matter for you and for all of us.

At current funding levels, three of every four Safe Routes to School safety improvement applications go unfunded, leaving our most vulnerable most at risk. We’re asking legislators for $30 million per year with additional projects identified to jump-start these investments so people from 8 to 80 have safe connections to bike and walk.

This is our chance to make big things happen for biking and walking, but only if you speak up now.

Take one minute and tell your legislators today!

Posted in Advocacy, Alert, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Legislature, Politics, Safe Routes to School, Transportation | 1 Comment

2016 Washington Bike Summit: Where, When, Who, What

By Barb Chamberlain | Published April 7, 2015

The blow-out registration for the 2015 Washington Bike Summit tells us loud and clear: Do it again. We will. As Kyla and Josef Forsberg of Lake Tapps, owners of the Green River Cyclery and Busted Bike Cafe in Auburn, got ready to leave the Summit they both said, “We’ll be at this every year!”

We’re looking at what contributed to the success of the event by asking those who went. We really want to hear from those who didn’t attend to help us plan an even better gathering of advocates, business owners, elected officials, and professionals from planning to public health to education. So it’s your turn. Here are some of the factors we’re weighing for you to think about as you take this survey and let us know what would make you most likely to attend the Summit. Share this survey with your bicycling friends too.

[Tweet “2016 Washington state bike conference: Take the survey. #WABikeSummit”]

Location: Tying the Summit to legislative visits necessarily means holding it in Olympia every year, much like the National Bike Summit held annually in Washington, DC. Do we do this, or do we move it around the state to other Bicycle-Friendly Communities? (For the record, we’d only want to take this kind of conference business to towns that are measuring and working on their progress to become more bike-friendly. What we measure, matters.)

Transportation Advocacy Day: This year we scheduled the Summit to hold TAD as Day Two. Public employees attended professional CEU workshops, advocates lobbied their legislators and attended sessions on various topics. It would be possible to hold TAD on its own, as has been done for years since we founded it as Bicycle Lobby Day, and hold the Summit at a different time and location.

Length of the legislative session: In odd-numbered years it’s a long session, making it possible to hold a Summit in Olympia in mid-late March at a point when issues are starting to ripen — particularly the first forays into budget negotiations — and weather is turning toward spring. In even-numbered years it’s a short session. Tying the Summit schedule to the legislative schedule means meeting in mid-February.

Alternating locations: One possible configuration would be to hold the Summit in Olympia during the long sessions, coupled with TAD, as we did this year. In short sessions we could hold the Summit in another town, keeping to the same approximate timing of mid-late March or even early April, and hold TAD during session or consider other ideas for getting constituents together with legislators that could provide greater flexibility.

Topics and speakers: This year’s sessions provided a cross-section from around the state and inspiring speakers from the national stage. Forty-five towns and cities were represented with great stories of progress. (For a detailed list see the agenda.) We know many more stories are waiting to be told and many presentation and workshop formats can get you fired up to advocate for better bicycling in your town. You ask for us information on various topics daily, and we’re tracking those requests as our idea list for Summit topics.

Tell us what you want to learn about, speak about, or experience at the 2016 Washington Bike Summit.

About You

First
Last

Suggestions for Future

Timing and Location of Next Year's Summit

If the Summit is held somewhere other than Olympia it would be held in a Bicycle Friendly Community. Currently designated BFCs are listed; others apply each year and would become potential sites if designated by the League of American Bicyclists. If you consider all 3 regions equally acceptable you can rank all three as 1.

Final Thoughts

Sponsors: We have to give another big thank-you to our 2015 sponsors, who made it possible for us to bring together such a great line-up of speakers.

  • Platinum Bike: Cascade Bicycle Club, Group Health
  • Gold Wheel: WSDOT
  • Silver Spoke: Raleigh, People for Bikes
  • Bronze Gear: Alta Planning, Foundation for Healthy Generations, Mithun, Ortleib, REI, SRAM, Transpo Group

 

Posted in Advocacy, Events, News | Comments Off on 2016 Washington Bike Summit: Where, When, Who, What

#Errandonnee 2015: How It Went in Washington State

By Barb Chamberlain | Published April 6, 2015

In the midst of #30DaysofBiking it seemed like a good time to share the tweets from #Errandonnee: winter errands by bike. That mid-March challenge provided great examples of things you can do by bike and some impressive pictures of hauling stuff: A bike carried on a bike, for example.

Check out the tweets and blog posts.

 

Your Turn
  • If you took part in #errandonnee 2015, what did it do for your bicycling habits?
  • What’s your reaction to this type of challenge?
Posted in Bike Culture, Events, Family biking, Kids, Shopping | Comments Off on #Errandonnee 2015: How It Went in Washington State

Paul’s Riding Again, Thanks to You

By Barb Chamberlain | Published April 5, 2015

And now, for the rest of the story.

Last year we followed up on the Inlander’s reporting about Paul Dannels’ stolen bike to try to help raise funds to replace the bike. A number of generous people stepped up and between your donations and some other sources Paul is back on two wheels.

When Paul got his bike in February he wrote,

Paul-Dannels-new-bike“This past week I purchased a new bike. It is incredible to say the least. I could not have done this without your help; thank you so very much.”

He sent a photo with his Trek Domane 4.3 and said, “Needless to say I probably won’t be leaving this bike anywhere, makes me very sad to say that. I sure do love it and can’t stop riding or thinking about it. Thank you again so very much.”

We asked about some of his favorite routes and he sent pictures of a ride to the Bowl and Pitcher, in Riverside State Park. He reports,

“Life is great here in Spokane; we have been really spoiled with good weather so far this year. My new bike is incredible. I have been riding around 70 to 80 miles per week and rode my first 52-miler last weekend. I’m working my way up to do a couple of century rides this year.”

View-on-Bowl-and-Pitcher-ride-Spokane-Paul-Dannels-pic

Aubrey L. White Parkway in Riverside State Park — a beautiful route for a bike ride along the Spokane River.

Another beautiful view of the Spokane River.

Another beautiful view of the Spokane River.

This whole experience also inspired Paul to ask, “I’m wondering if there is more I can do in the world of advocating for bike rights and laws in my area and thought you might be just the person to ask, I’d like to share and spread my passion for biking in our community.” We pointed him to volunteer opportunities like Spokefest and Spokane Summer Parkways and told him about the Spokane Bicycle Advisory Board meetings every third Tuesday, a great place to hear what’s happening in the city for better bicycling.

Paul will be in our booth at the Spokane Bike Swap this coming Sunday, April 12. Stop by to say hi and talk bikes.

 

 

Posted in Advocacy, News, Spokane | Comments Off on Paul’s Riding Again, Thanks to You

Pullman Adopts and Implements City Goals for Bicycling

By Barb Chamberlain | Published April 4, 2015
Jaime Brush with Isabella on a snowy bike ride, with Moscow Mountain in the background.

Jaime Brush with Isabella on a snowy bike ride, with Moscow Mountain in the background.

An Advocate’s Voice: Washington Bikes member Jaime Brush speaks up for the interests of people who bike in Pullman in many ways. She provided this update on her efforts, which demonstrate that stepping up and speaking up can make a real difference in your town.

For a town built on a topography of rolling hills, Pullman has made a big step in the direction of becoming a bicycle friendly community! Starting at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, Mayor Glenn Johnson asked community members and organizations to submit suggestions for the City of Pullman and City Council to consider adopting. Having stirred up quite the attention around biking in Pullman, I couldn’t wait to read through all the submissions to see if any were bike-related. 

Cafe-Moro-Pullman-need-for-bike-parking

Bikes outside Cafe Moro in downtown Pullman illustrate the need for bike parking.

After reading through a binder full of suggestions, I was most surprised and happy with the one from the Pullman School Board and the Superintendent of Pullman Schools (see An Advocate’s Voice Parts I and II for the background story; Part III is still in the making). Their one suggestion acknowledged the difficulty in reaching Pullman High School from downtown by biking or walking and requested that more walk/bike paths be provided to improve the connections.

Throughout the submissions, there was a clear emphasis on the theme of having walk/bike connections to Pullman High School.  The Pullman Civic Trust listed this as their #1 suggestion, in addition to several other bike and trail-related goals.   The League of Women Voters asked for walk/bike paths where cul-de-sacs are permitted.  The Pullman Chamber of Commerce advocated for more bike infrastructure throughout Pullman, specifically downtown bike parking.

The next part of the process included a special retreat that was open to the public, where the Mayor, City Supervisor, and Councilmembers discussed the suggestions and narrowed them down to 15 goals that were eventually adopted.  (Shout out to Councilmembers Francis Benjamin and Nathan Weller for speaking up for bike-related goals!)

A few weeks later, city department heads gave their input on the 15 proposed goals.  The Superintendent of the Pullman Parks Department, Alan Davis, recommended changing the wording in the goal from creating bike parking in three distinct downtown locations to, instead, creating bike parking throughout the “downtown corridor.”  This slight change in wording allows for input from the new Pullman Bicycle Task Force and citizens as to where the racks/lockers should be installed.  After all, placing the new bike racks at destinations for people on bikes is key to the racks’ success.

Then, the Mayor and Council voted and approved City Goal 2014 # 5:

Improve bicycle and pedestrian trails. Explore the implementation of appropriate recommendations in the WSU Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Enhance bicycle parking in the downtown corridor by installing bicycle racks, and possibly bicycle containers, at strategic locations. Encourage WSU to take the lead on developing a more comprehensive path map and funding options.

The page from the 2014 goals adopted by the City of Pullman showing Goal 5, Biking and Walking.

The page from the 2014 goals adopted by the City of Pullman showing Goal 5, Biking and Walking.

The next step in the process was deciding where the bicycle racks we’re going to be placed.  The Pullman Bicycle Task Force was created.  After several meetings and following the recommendations put out by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals in their Bicycle Parking Guidelines 2nd Edition, the Task Force was ready to give their siting recommendations to the City of Pullman.

Sportworks, headquartered in Woodinville, WA, created a custom bike rack for Pullman. The shape suggests the gently rolling Palouse hills

Sportworks, headquartered in Woodinville, WA, created a custom bike rack for Pullman. The shape suggests the gently rolling Palouse hills

Sportworks, a Washington-based company that designs and manufactures bicycle products, specifically bike parking and transit racks, was able to provide Pullman with a custom-designed rack that mimics the rolling hills of the Palouse area.

Sportworks-custom-rack-for-Pullman-Palouse-hillsThis initial stage of installing bicycle parking around the city of Pullman has began and is already a success!

In conjunction with bike parking, an bicycle/pedestrian educational campaign is being developed; I’m working on it with the Pullman Police Department with the direction and help of Washington Bikes.

Why is bicycle parking important, anyway?

According to the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals’ Bicycle Parking Guidelines, 2nd Edition, “One of the most common obstacles for bicyclists is the lack of bicycle parking at their destination.  At the most basic level, bicycle parking encourages people to ride, but it also has some specific benefits, even for non-cyclists”, such as:

  1. Bicycle parking is good for business!
  2. Designated, well-designated parking promotes a more orderly streetscape and preserves the pedestrian right of way.
  3. Bicycle parking helps legitimize cycling as a transportation mode by providing parking opportunities equal to motorized modes.

Shoutout to Jaime for her tireless work to grow bicycling in Pullman. She also got Pullman added to the annual statewide bike/pedestrian count. Steps like these make a real difference.

Your Turn

  • What’s happening for better bicycling in your hometown? We’d like to share your advocate’s voice. Comment here, email your story with pictures to info@wabikes.org, or let us know if you’d like us to interview you and write the story.

 

Posted in Advocacy, News, Whitman County | 1 Comment

Join Us: 2015 Spokane Bike Swap April 11-12

By Louise McGrody | Published April 3, 2015

If you love all things bicycle and you live in Spokane, then you don’t want to miss the Spokane Bike Swap & Expo next weekend, April 11-12.

Organized as a benefit for the Friends of the Spokane River Centennial Trail, the Spokane Bike Swap is the place to buy new and used bikes, swap your old ones, connect with bike groups like us, practice using the bike rack on transit buses, get information on super Spokane bike events like Spokefest and Spokane Summer Parkways, sign up for rides like the Jedermann Gran Fondo and Lilac City Century and Family Fun Ride, and more.

Be sure to drop by the Washington Bikes booth to say hi and meet our executive director (and founder of Spokane Bikes) Barb Chamberlain and the great volunteers who will be there with her.* You can pick up a copy of our popular Washington Bike Laws pocket reference, a “Drive Aware” brochure to share with your non-bicycling friends who drive, and bike maps from around Washington state.Refrigerator magnets and coasters: I Bike WA, I Bike Spokane

We’ll also have our pop-up retail store at your service:

  • Support bike advocacy with your tax-deductible donation or membership. (Why both? Some people like to consider themselves members, some people like to donate. All support welcome!)
  • Get made-in-Washington bicycle themed merchandise like the I Bike Spokane and I Bike WA items shown here.
  • Pick up a copy of our guide to multi-day bike tours to inspire your bike travel for years to come.

Check the Spokane Bike Swap website for more details about the event and we hope to see you next weekend. Speaking of seeing you….

*Want to volunteer with us? Email Barb, barb@wabikes.org, if you’d like to help with set-up Friday afternoon, work a two-hour shift Saturday or Sunday, 9am-3pm, or help with teardown at the end of the event (which goes really fast).

 

 

Posted in Events, News, Spokane | Comments Off on Join Us: 2015 Spokane Bike Swap April 11-12

North Cascades Highway/USBR10 Opens Friday, April 3

By Barb Chamberlain | Published April 2, 2015
The car-free view up the North Cascades Highway. Josh Cohen photo.

The car-free view up the North Cascades Highway. Josh Cohen photo.

Some years people on bicycles get an amazing experience: riding on the North Cascades Highway (USBR10) after snow has been cleared and before it’s opened to motorists in a kind of impromptu Open Streets event, often on a weekend. We’ve told you to watch for announcements so you can plan a quick getaway for exclusive access.

Tomorrow morning, April 3, is your only chance.

Washington State Dept. of Transportation has announced the highway opens tomorrow, April 3. If you want to ride ahead of vehicles you need to take Friday off (we won’t tell your boss) and beat the cars.

Some people show up at first light on Opening Day, hop the gate and take off to enjoy the highway before WSDOT opens it to motor vehicles. If you go: Watch out for sweepers, de-icing trucks and other equipment as WSDOT makes one last check of the highway before opening the gates at 10 a.m.

The road-clearing efforted started Monday, March 16. According to WSDOT staff, highway-clearing crews have typically worked Monday through Thursday, leaving cleared sections of the highway for recreational users on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.  In years past, large amounts of snow and deep avalanches across the highway have required five to six weeks to clear, meaning four to six weekends for cyclists. 

The past winter saw low snowfall totals, which made the highway easier to clear. WSDOT will accomplish it in just 19 days, including only two weekends, this year.

Westside riders were further handicapped because in December 2014 WSDOT had to close the west end of the highway, east of the Diablo Gate, to recreational use due to a rock slide and unstable hillside between mileposts 142 and 143. Work to secure that area took all winter and was just completed Tuesday, March 31. (See photos of that work on Flickr.)

People on bikes are allowed on the road year-round; if anyone turned road closure into an amazing fatbiking experience we’d love to have a blog post about that.

It’s unfortunate for riders that opportunities to use the highway as WSDOT cleared it were limited. But opening it quickly enables everyone to use the highway and lets you start planning your journeys along USBR 10.

Other Car-Free Experiences Await

This isn’t your last chance at special access on a challenging climb, though. While some roads into Mount Rainier National Park are also slated to open April 3, others remain closed. Keep your eye on the Mount Rainier road status page. In particular watch for Sunrise Road to open around June if you want a ride like this one: Car-Free Mount Rainier: Now’s the Time!

Thanks to Tom Pearce, WSDOT Communications, for telling us what’s happening with SR20.

USBR10

Check out our USBR 10 page, where you’ll find a map, information on the official designation as part of the US Bicycle Route System, and links to these and other posts:

Car-Free Bicycling

Posted in Chelan County, Events, News, Skagit County, Travel, USBRS, Weather | Comments Off on North Cascades Highway/USBR10 Opens Friday, April 3