UPDATED: Mayor Angela Birney's Story / Pedestrian Safety / RCTV

I found Mayor Birney's Story on Pedestrian Safety while watching Redmond City Television (RCTV) on Comcast Channel 21.  

I'm amazed how RCTV programming has improved.  There's much more content.  Tune in at 9:00AM for a half hour of local news, grant opportunities, and tips.  

All of  Mayor Birney's 52 YouTube stories can be watched in a rolling sequence. 

posted by Bob Yoder, 10/11/2023

Redmond Technology Station

Rendering of the "Redmond Technology Station."  Note the bus thoroughfare on the left.  I believe the pedestrian/bicycle bridge is right of the train.

Redmond Technology Station rendering

Source:  Facebook, East Link Light Rail.

UPDATED OPINION: Bike Shares could pollute our city

These Lime bikes and other "bike shares" will be invading Redmond.

Well, it looks like the unpleasant "Lime Greens" will shortly be seen on most corners of our downtown and some even polluting our neighborhoods and trails unless the city doesn't put firm regulations on them. The "Limes" and other bike shares coming out of Seattle could pressure our three bike shops out of Redmond; we'd lose the tax income from these shops and our city's character.  But, they do provide short transportation links to and from the transit centers.

Lake Union (Kiro.)  Lake Sammamish next?

I saw a large tangle of about 20 unused Limes at the Bothell bridge over the Sammamish River.  And, I saw one Lime abandoned on the green-belt next to the river.  I guess someone wanted to ride from Bothell, to a nice spot on the river, dump the bike (like trash) and hike back.  And then, there's the safety issue.  People who have never ridden a bike, especially in downtown streets, are more susceptible to a collision. 

The Limes are now electric so have the capability to run through our downtown transportation corridors-- and be left on roads like East and West Lake Sammamish Blvd. 116th and 124th.  Residents could drive them to the Downtown Park and surround it (art?) before heading back up the hill to neighborhood feeders. Same with the soccer fields and community center.

Shelly, a salesperson for Seattle Electric Bike in Bothell said she had some concerns about the bike shares but indicated permitting should solve most problems.  She sells a wide variety of sturdy, aesthetically pleasing electric bikes as does PIM and PEDEGO-Redmond. (PIM is out of Freemont and PEDEGO-Redmond is at 8296 160th Ave, NE.).

"Read More" for the City of Redmond's plans and point of view

UPDATED: "Try Something New" at Redmond Town Center

"Try something new" at RTC.  Come to the Extravaganza festival at Redmond Town Center this Saturday at Noon! Lots of fun things to do:  face painting, petting zoo, scavenger hunt, balloon twisters, trampolines, bounce house, basketball and lots of food.

I'll be there too with this PIM electric bike in the afternoon for show and tell. I may may sign up some some interested people for a test drive!  They're easy to ride   Look for me by the Archer Hotel near the Sammamish Trail.  Ebikes are recreational and also great for sweat-free commuting and avoiding all that nasty traffic.

PIM isn't the only ebike company in town.  Seattle Electric Bike in Bothell has a wide range of ebikes.  Shelly Bowman sells their bikes.  She's an amazing community volunteer and knows everything local and regional when it comes to bikes.  Shelly's a City of Redmond Parks commissioner, she's on the city "PED/BIKE" advisory committee, she's V.P. of WheelLab, a youth bike program, and is a "Community Servant Leader" in Bothell.

Try Something New, Try Electric Bikes!

B. Yoder

Phase 2 construction of the Redmond Central Connector advances

Looking north from 95th Street towards Overlake Christian Church
Busy Willows Road is on the left.  Commercial on the right. (click pic to enlarge)

Several amenities are only minutes from the trail by bike at this 95th Street location.  Black Raven Brewery, Hi-Fi Brewery, Eastside Gym, Willows Deli  Good stopping place!

This Redmond Central Connector is the artery of the City that links Sammamish, Redmond, and Kirkland and knits together Redmond Town Center, historic Downtown, Grass Lawn neighborhood, and Willows business district. (COR)

Redmond's Senior Park Planner, David Shaw is the narrator in this city video.  He works closely with Carolyn Hope, Manager of Parks and Culture.  Both designed and built the Redmond Bike Park.  David managed the construction, recruiting and directing scores of volunteers. (The Randall family was at the core of the park's development. Councilmember Hank Myers put in a day or two of shoveling.) 

Safety Alerts: Redmond Police give out bike helmets and flashing reflectors. Sign up your 'hood for "National Night Out Against Crime!"

Jim Bove
Redmond Police Outreach

from the Desk of Jim Bove, Redmond Police Community Outreach

1.  Beginning this Friday, July 8th, our Redmond Town Center Police Substation will be closed.  We are consolidating our resources to the Redmond Police Department/Public Safety Building at 8701 160th Ave NE.  This includes our popular bike and ski/snowboard helmets!  (Now’s a great time to remind you to protect your melon and your child’s!  To schedule an appointment for custom fitting, contact Nicole Rogers at 425-556-2632….this has been a public service announcement.)  

2.  Beginning this weekend, officers will be handing out flashing red reflectors so walkers and bikers can be seen easier.  So don’t be alarmed if it’s getting dark and an officer makes contact with you – it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong, it’s just to make sure you can be seen.  

3.  Time is ticking if your neighborhood would like to participate in the 2011 National Night Out Against Crime on August 2!  Find more information by clicking here and RSVP your party no later than Tuesday, July 26th.   That’s all, folks…quick and (mostly) painless….feel free to share….

Be safe!
Jim Bove
Redmond Police Community Outreach
jbove@redmond.gov )
(425) 556-2545

North Redmond's sidewalks to nowhere

Sidewalks and bike lanes on NE 116th Street



Crosswalk and bike lane to nowhere 



Sidewalk to nowhere; containers block bike lane

COMMENT FROM READERS:

We've brought up the issue of lack of sidewalks and safe crossings on 116th with city representatives on multiple occasions going back to 2006. The city's position is that developers are responsible for building sidewalks. Unfortunately the city has allowed multiple loopholes allowing developers to avoid their responsibilities. For example, the neighborhood at the SE corner of 172nd is long since completed, but no sidewalk on 116th was ever constructed. Even when sidewalks were built, in many cases they were very narrow strips adjoining the road with no planter strip or other buffer. Meanwhile, the roundabout at the intersection of 116th & 172nd has been pushed out (again) to 2015, leaving us with likely the most unsafe intersection in the city.
     Kudos to Buchan Homes, which built a very nice sidewalk along 116th for Whistler's Ridge.
-Andy Raffman

"...Placing the blame for this "unfinished work" on developers is unacceptable. It is the City that approves plans, and regulates construction projects. We are lucky to have good home builders in Redmond, but we need a stronger handle on "the planning side."
- Richard Morris

Post and Photos By Bob Yoder

May 27: Burke-Gilman Trail safety improvements require closure, detour for several months

Burke Gillman Trail - Lake Forest Park - closed 6/15

May 27: Burke-Gilman Trail safety improvements require closure, detour for several months:

Work starts June 15 to redevelop 2-mile stretch through Lake Forest Park – trail’s oldest segment

Work is about to get under way on a much-needed project to improve public safety along the oldest and narrowest stretch of King County’s Burke-Gilman Trail through Lake Forest Park.

A two-mile-long stretch of the trail will be closed for construction beginning June 15, from Northeast 145th Street to Logboom Park in Kenmore. King County has established a 24-hour hotline – 206-462-6348 – to provide updated information and to answer any questions about the construction project, which could last up to six months."

READ MORE

King Couty Press Release
Internet image

Updated: Cindy Jayne - An extraordinary Redmond community leader and volunteer.

This strory was authored by Bob Yoder

Cindy Jayne is an amazing Redmond community leader and volunteer.  I first met Cindy reporting on a Parks & Trails Meeting.  I wanted to write her story.  Cindy has taken the summer off and is "working" full time on a backyard landscaping project right now, but she kindly offered a little of her time to share the biography of her volunteer life in Redmond.   Hold your hat, here goes: 

1992  Moved to Redmond - Lives west of Marymoor Park, in the View Point Neighborhood.
2004  Joined Northwest Earth Institute.  http://www.nweiseattle.org/
2005  Steering Committee member for Seattle Northwest Earth Institute
2006  Joined City of Redmond Trails Commission
2007  Joined City of Redmond Pedestrian-Bicycle Citizen Advisory Committee
2007  Laison between PED-Bicycle Advisory Committee and Parks & Trails Commission
2009  Vice Chair of City of Redmond Parks and Trails Committee
2009  Forest Land Steward (with husband Jeff) for Westside Park.
2009  Derby Day Redmond-Green booth volunteer and parade participant.
2009  Starting up "Sustainable Redmond Group",  http://www.scallopswa.org/

Northwest Earth Institute's Sense of Place course is part of what prompted Cindy to join the Trails Commission.   This course focuses on one's knowledge and commitment to the local community. The Institute is giving a presentation of their "discussion courses" for those who want to learn more, Thursday,  September 17, from 7-8 at the Redmond Library, Room. I.   Say hi to Cindy!

Professionally, Cindy worked for 13 years for Physio-Control in Redmond, designing medical devices.  She has a Bachelor's and Masters in Electrical Engineering, and an MBA.  She switched to consulting work in 2008. 

"I had the perfect commute for many years - 5 miles each way, most of which was along the Sammamish River trail. I would ride my bike to work typically twice a week, year round, which both reduced my carbon footprint, and gave me a good workout and fresh air."

Cindy Jayne's personal mission and philosopy on life:

"As I have learned more about climate change, I came to view that as the most critical issue that affects our planet today. It impacts so many other aspects, including poverty, disease, forests, and wildlife. I feel it is a moral responsibility that we all have to try to leave the planet in better shape than we inherited, for the sake of all the world's children (of all species) and future generations.  I am hopeful that not only can we change course, but that doing so will improve our lives by helping bring communities together, and shifting our culture away from consumerism and toward meaningful relationships. As the saying goes, the best things in life aren't things."

Thank you Cindy Jayne for all you do for our community!  

Cindy would love to hear from anyone interested in being part of "Sustainable Redmond".  She can be contacted at cindy@nweiseattle.org.   

by Bob Yoder

What do "signal markers", "sharrows" and "bike boxes" have in common?

SHARROWS:
Any bicyclist (and driver) will immediately relate to the meaning of the photo and diagram on the right. The two large arrow heads with a bicycle you see in these pictures is called a "sharrow". They indicated where cyclists will share the road with vehicles. Redmond Communications Dept. announced on August 20 that sharrows "will replace the separate bike lane in the future" and both Redmond and Kirkland are now piloting sharrows and bicycle signal sensors on select streets.

Redmond bicyclists will find sharrows and signal sensors on 150th Avenue NE from NE 40th to NE 51st Streets.

SIGNAL SENSORS: New road markings help cyclists know where to stop so the signal can sense them. A bicycle symbol marking is painted on the road and when the cyclist stops on it, the signal is activated. Thanks to our "Redmond PED BIKE Advisory Committee," this 2 minute YOUTUBE on triggering traffic signals is available: Traffic Loop Detection for Bicycles. Questions? CONTACT: city planner jpfundt@redmond.gov .


BIKE BOXES: search this blog for "bike box" - and now you know the rest of the story....

BIKE BOX !!

Updated, 8/5: The City Council and staff briefly discussed BIKE BOXES at their last meeting. Could they be persuaded by public opinion to try a demonstration BIKE BOX? I don't know.

The BIKE BOX is an intersection safety design to prevent bicycle/car collisions. The main goal of a BIKE BOX is to prevent collisions between motorists turning right and cyclists going straight. It's all about visibility and awareness. At a red light, cyclists are more visible to motorists by being in front of them. At a green light, the green bike lane through the intersection reminds motorists and cyclists to watch for each other. Click the page title for a fun instructional video.

Portland has extensive experience with BIKE BOXES. Find Portland's tips, literature, videos here.

In high drama, this video clip describes how it works. (click the page title "BIKE BOX!!" for a more conventional, instructional video). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx5D5CtmvTk&feature=player_embedded

According to Joel Pfundt, City Principal Transportation Planner, the BIKE BOX concept is being considered by staff but Mr. Pfundt feels Redmond doesn't have enough cyclists to justify this safety measure. If you think it's a good concept and would like to see a BIKE BOX demoed and at work on an intersection in Redmond contact the Chairman, Arnold T. of the PED/BIKE Advisory Committee or jpfundt@redmond.gov

Also contact kallen@redmond.gov , hmargeson@redmond.gov, or hmyers@redmond.gov . They are three councilmembers who ride bikes or have a relationship with the PED/BIKE Committee.