"Washington Bike Law" Represents Injured Bicyclists

 Ten Bicyclists Injured on the Burke-Gilman Trail's “Missing Link"

About Washington Bike Law:

 

Washington Bike Law (WBL) represents injured bicyclists statewide and helps make our streets safer for everyone. WBL was the first law office in the nation to be honored by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bike Friendly Business. Find more at www.washingtonbikelaw.com.

Bike accidents are probable in Redmond:  1) no protected bike lanes, 2) the intersection of Redmond Way and East Lake Sammamish Blvd. is hazardous and potentially deadly.  The City of Redmond could be liable.  (B. Yoder.) 

 

SEATTLE – Ten people injured in bicycle crashes on the "Missing Link" of the Burke-Gilman Trail recently filed claims against the City of Seattle for its failure to make the existing roadway reasonably safe for ordinary travel, according to attorneys representing the individuals. The ten riders suffered varying degrees of injury ranging from contusions to broken bones to traumatic brain injury.

 

Washington Bike Law (WBL) and Schroeter Goldmark & Bender (SGB) are Seattle law firms cooperatively representing the bicyclists. “The aim of the claim notices filed today is not simply to achieve compensation for our clients’ injuries, but to prompt action by the City to prevent more people from being seriously injured by this known danger,” said SGB attorney Adam Berger.

 

The Missing Link is a 1.4-mile stretch in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood where the Burke-Gilman Trail abruptly ends, sending bicyclists onto streets that are still not reasonably safe for travel by bicycle. The ten bicyclists were all injured where many others have crashed before them: the Missing Link’s “Crash Zone,” a dangerous railroad crossing under the Ballard Bridge.

 

WBL’s Bob Anderton has represented multiple bicyclists injured in this same Crash Zone dating as far back as 2001. 

Redmond - Bicycle Capital of the Northwest - Mini-Documentary

Redmond's "Space Needle" Entrance Sign

By Jerry Torell

Jerry Torell in front of the current sign 0f 3/15/2017. Yoder

The Redmond Bike Derby Road Races including the "Bike Derby Parade" from the first year, have always been a major part of the city's civic events with riders coming from around the country and Canada to compete in the annual race.  In the mid 1970’s while I served on the Redmond Chamber of Commerce Board as Vice President, I was also Publicity Chairman for the chamber. Over the years several of my dry cleaning customers commented that the city needed an entrance sign on the west end of Redmond.

I started thinking about it and with the history of the bicycle in Redmond I knew the bike had to be a key part of the sign, so I proposed the idea to my Chamber committee along with a plan to build it. Getting the chamber's approval of the plan, I contacted our City Mayor “Bud” Young to get his thoughts…He LOVED the bicycle sign idea!!   He offered the city staff to lay out some sketches. 

From an earlier Jaycee project I had met Chuck Johns who was the metal’s instructor at Redmond High School.  I called Chuck and explained our city entrance sign plan, asking him if his class could help build an old fashioned bicycle with the “big front wheel and the small back wheel” not knowing then, it was known as the “Penny Farthing.” 

(l-r)  Bud Young, Fred Habenicht, Kim Murrey, Jerry Torell
Credit/ Sammamish Valley News

A key committee member, Fred Habenicht, owner of Frederick’s Appliances, volunteered to contact John Gunderson of Gundy’s Signs to carve and provide a wooden face for the sign.  I then re-contacted the Mayor to confirm the city's help installing and keeping it in good order plus maintaining the grounds around the sign.  The Mayor agreed! and “Gundy” worked out the slogan, “Redmond Bicycle Capital of the Northwest.” The sign was completed and dedicated in July of 1976. 

AS THEY SAY…THE REST IS NOW HISTORY !!

The Bicycle Entrance Sign has become the “Space Needle of Redmond," has Redmond’s symbol, and is copied by most everyone as a logo on literature and replicas mounted on sides of buildings around town. I was originally concerned that the sign would be damaged by vandals but to my knowledge this has never happened and the sign has become a key symbol of Redmond pride. 

The sign is now reconstructed of cement end posts and a redesigned wooden face and lit up with white lights at night and encircled with shrubs and flowers the year around bidding..."WELCOME TO ALL!"

.....so I designed and created the sign.

In 2013, I learned from 90-year old Ray Adams, that kids used to race around Redmond and local citizens would bet on who was the fastest. Ray in 1939 was then 16 and he and his buddy Charlie Lentz were in that first race of about 14 to 16 racers.  

Actually only about 6 of the racers made it all the way around the lake to cross the finish line including Ray and Charlie.   The lake road then was only partly paved on the west side and the rest was mainly dirt and gravel. Ray and Charlie suggested the race be around the lake. Anyway, the idea was accepted and Redmond Bike Derby Race was off and rolling…to become today, the nation’s oldest bicycle race, due to a small town’s public spirit, no matter the hardships.

  --Jerry Torell

Minor edits and photograph by Yoder

Repairs on Sammamish River Trail October 17-27

 

Pavement Repairs on Sammamish River Trail October 17-27 Detour next to trail between Rusty Bridge and NE 85th St Pavement repairs are taking place on the Sammamish River Trail between the Rusty Bridge and NE 85th St in Redmond from 10/17-10/27. Construction hours are 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. A detour will be available next to the trail. Please follow all construction signs. Trail users on bicycles, please walk your bikes in the construction area for safety. The trail will reopen nightly at 5 p.m. for regular use and on the weekend. The trail will permanently reopen for regular use at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 10/27.

My PIM commute

Last Friday GO REDMOND held a "Bike Bash" event awarding commuters colorful GO REDMOND tee shirts.  Though I'm retired and not much of a commuter I signed up for a ride on the 520 Bike Trail starting at Leary.  My destination was Kirkland for an espresso at Rococo; but  prior commitments confined my journey to 2 hours from my home on Education Hill.

On my PIM electric bike, I did it without a sweat.

520 Trail - yellow specks are struggling
road bikers.  My PIM is front center

The 520 Bike Trail was most interesting.  Most of the road bicyclists struggled up the first hill. I cruised at almost 3x the speed -- and could have gone faster.  They had to breathe the 520 exhaust fumes for a long time.  I was out of there and soon high above SR520 and it's noise.

My first stop was a Microsoft water station serving iced water infused with fruits. On 148th Ave. NE I met a Honeywell worker biking to Burger King.  I passed quite a few Microsoft pedestrians walking briskly from one office to the next; but no electric bikes.  Those guys were probably already at their office from the Seattle burbs.

Love them fries!
(click to enlarge)

Had I more time, I could have easily ridden by pedal assist to Seattle and seen some of the sights.  However, I did savor the fries  at Burgermaster!  The bike trails are well marked with way-finding signage.  On my way into Kirkland I saw a "Lake Washington Loop Trail."-- youser!

Kirkland is not a bike friendly town.  There's a nasty intersection at Lakeview and Lake Washington Blvd.  Lake Washington Blvd. is dangerous the whole way with cars parked inches from the bike lane.  Only one door has to open from the inside, and smack.  The espresso was a delight but the ride from Kirkland up 85th was terrible and I couldn't have done it safely without my PIM.  Ascending Education Hill was a breeze.  I made it home with time to spare while tapering my pedal-assist to an
exercise plan.

The GO REDMOND tee-shirts are colorful and cool!  Their website is too!  I can't wait for my next commute!  😎

B. Yoder

Updated: Road bikes, ebikes, and bike shares are a wave of the future in Overlake

 View of "Redmond 148" from the southwest.  According to
Senior Planner David Lee it includes two stories of underground parking.
The only access is from the north

OPINION  Completion of this "Redmond 148" structure is targeted for late 2018.  It's located on 3040 NE 148th and will be a significant hub for bicycle commuters. If you look under the 3rd traffic light you might see a trail head.  The trail travels counter-clockwise around the building to Redmond with access to the Microsoft campus along the way.

The 520 Bicycle Trail from Seattle to Bellevue and Kirkland is behind me so you have to take the crosswalk to get to the Redmond 148 trail head.

A bicycle connection to 520 Bicycle Trail is planned nearby which will provide residents with an easy connection to the Microsoft campus and Redmond via the pedestrian-bicycle bridge to be built over SR 520.

Road bikes, ebikes, and bike shares will be a wave of the future in Overlake.  I have a PIM ebike and will be riding it on the 520 Bicycle Trail during Redmond's Bike Bash.

B. Yoder

My e-bike hill climb

Richard Morris holding the PIM bike (see the battery?)

We had our first good weather in months today!  The sun even came out!  It was time to finally roll my PIM e-bike (electric bicycle) demo out from the garage.  I invited my neighbor, Richard Morris, to come over, check it out; he immediately wanted on.   Richard walks 2-3 miles everyday with his dog so had no problem climbing this gentle hill  He didn't need any power, just down-shifted some. I think this particular bike has 18 gears....just like a regular bike.

I tried the bike months ago but it was way too frigid to shift and I was in crappy shape.  I was dying to get out today to try Power level 3 since I had trouble finding it earlier.  I needed Power 3 to get up 166th.  Pam, my wife, was on me to be safe so I took 171st from the Redmond Bike Park down to Redmond El. (virtually no traffic.)   A few huffs or two and I was up.  Yikes! ...next time I'll gear up for a better fat-burn.

It was awesome to get some fresh air and see the green native-growth easement again.

B. Yoder

Updated, 6/2017, Redmond Bike Park Update - Unauthorized trail building must cease

Dear Redmond Bike Park Followers:  (from Carolyn Hope, City Parks Planner)

This week at the bike park, some of our staff and volunteer trail stewards will be making safety improvements to the existing features.  There has been a considerable amount of unauthorized trail building at the site, this needs to stop, please help spread the word on this.  The City has worked hard to try to maintain a safe park experience at this site for bikers and walkers. The development of this park is a pilot of a community/city partnership and we need your cooperation and assistance to make this project successful. If you like to build jump and bike features, please contact me so we can put your skills to work in a way that benefits the project.  However, until we have permits in hand, we are only maintaining what we have, not building out the proposed bike park plans.  For example,  this past weekend someone built a starting ramp/berm along the sidewalk from Hartman park to enter the main jump line – this is a completely unsafe condition, as it crosses the Ashford Trail, a major pedestrian route.  As a result, our staff and volunteers will replace the berm with a small start hill south of the Ashford Trail near the first jump in attempt to avoid having people riding from the Hartman Park entrance.

As you may know, the City is proceeding with a redesign on the Redmond Bike Park per the conditions of a settlement agreement with the appellants of the proposed project.  We expect to have the revised plans and permits ready in early August and if all goes well, we hope to build the park with your help in the fall, likely beginning in October.

Please contact me if you would like to volunteer as a trail steward or if you would like any additional information. 

Thank you!

Carolyn Hope

Park Planning & Cultural Services Manager

Editor's note:  Development of the park was not without controversy.  The Katz's house bordered the park site. They and other of their neighbors outcryed about tree loss and noise that would come with the proposed park. A website was even made to generate neighborhood support. On several occasions I noticed Councilmember Stilin having coffee at Soulfood with Mr. Katz.  Final project approval ended up at the Hearing Examiner level in City Hall with Mr. Katz and a neighbor talking for days and hours with the Examiner.  Litigation cost the city thousands and thousands. The result was positive for Mr. Katz and his neighbors.  The bicycle ramps and routes were smaller resulting a larger neighborhood buffer.  With a smaller, more youth oriented park with smaller launches the "bad elements" of the city were less likely to be drawn in.  Development of the park went far over budget....I think around $70M.

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

Rotary Club of Redmond organizing 24th Annual Redspoke Bike Tour

Rotary Club of Redmond Changes Lives in Our Community One Mile at a Time with the 24th Annual Redspoke (Redmond to Spokane) bike tour.

(Redmond, WA) - Every summer since 1988 bicyclists from as far away as New York and Alaska have been participating in RedSpoke, the Rotary Club of Redmond’s five day, 300-mile bicycle tour from Redmond to Spokane. The 2011 ride will be July 13th through July 17th & Redmond Rotary hopes to raise more money than ever for local life changing programs.

Redspoke is the Rotary Club of Redmond’s major fundraising event, with proceeds making a difference in the lives of underprivileged youth in our community. Last year, impact donations to Hopelink and Eastside Baby Corner were made possible by Redspoke. The 2011 Redspoke proceeds will assist homeless families with transitional housing through Hopelink and provide therapy for disabled children and adults through Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center. These programs, in addition to the club's other charitable activities, are funded by this event and the club welcomes the community to participate.

“You’re invited to come ride with the sun on your face and the wind at your back while experiencing fun, excitement, fellowship and adventure on this 300-mile bicycle tour across beautiful Washington State – while raising money for a great cause.” according to RedSpoke Committee Chair, Will Miller.

If riding is not quite the level of involvement you see for yourself, Redmond Rotary hopes you will consider making a tax deductible donation. Visit http://www.redspoke.org/  to learn more. You can find information about this year’s beneficiaries at http://www.hope-link.org/  and http://www.littlebit.org/   To "Read More" click on blue link.

Construction of Redmond Bike Park to begin early 2011

Carolyn Hope, Project Planner for the Redmond Bike Park says in a letter to stewards....

According to the original schedule, the City hoped to have the Redmond Bike Park under construction by now. However, we took some extra time to discuss alternatives with community members and are now completing some special studies that will help us develop a 60% design, including drainage. We plan to hold another public meeting this fall when those 60% plans are complete, then we will finalize the plans, go through City permitting, and begin construction in early 2011.

Due to this delay, the City is working with the Redmond Bike Park stewards, the Steering Committee, to provide some dirt to maintain the jumps that exist on site. Last week, the group filled in holes and improved some jumps and this week they will continue that work.

Thank you for your interest in this project.
Carolyn Hope
Project Manager, Redmond Bike Park, City of Redmond
cjhope@redmond.gov

Photo by Yoder

City of Redmond and County want to improve Power Line trail connections.

"Trail Hunter", an avid Power Line Trail mountain biker, first tipped Redmond Neighborhood Blog (RNB)  of Puget Sound Energy's easement widening project east of Avondale.  His concern was not so much about the deforestation ("Read More") as an opportunity to improve the trail linkages.  "Trail Hunter" received the following response for the City of Redmond: 

"The property between Farrel-McWhirter Park and the Watershed Preserve is not owned by the City of Redmond. Puget Sound Energy has responded to questions about the trail in this section with the following comment:

There is no authorized "trail" on PSE's land, between the Watershed Preserve and Farrell McWhirter park. Although the City and County have been negotiating with PSE for over a decade, for an easement or permit to construct such a trail, no easement or permit has been issued and no rights for such a use have been granted by PSE -- we have, however, informally allowed individual recreational uses, such as horse riding and mountain biking, to occur on our land. The existing "trail" is, in fact, simply a utility access road and is planned to be maintained as such. PSE would be prohibited by the UTC from expending utility rate-payer funds (i.e. from recovering the costs through utility rates) to upgrade the road for recreational purposes.

I know there continues to be an interest by the City of Redmond and King County in making this trail connection."

Teresa Kluver
Park Operations Supervisor   

"Trail Hunter" has stopped biking on the powerline trail.  Of course, it's not as scenic, but he has also popped three tires on recent rides.  The County says they will replace the 3-4 inch rock construction road with a suitable trail surface.  Posted by Yoder, Photo:  internet   READ MORE  (see pictures)

What's up with the "green bikes" in downtown Redmond?

The city's first green bike rack was placed outside the Library for over three years before they  launched their Bike Rack program big-time two years ago. This one in front of Redmond Physical Therapy and scores of others have since been installed in the downtown.  Have you seen them?  Now you know how they can be used!  Read More for a full explanation.

Making bike connections from Fremont to Redmond | Seattle Times Newspaper

Seattle Sketcher Making bike connect

In the summertime, Caitlin Kehoe enjoys commuting from Fremont to Redmond taking bike trails around Lake Washington. But most days she does a combination of bike and bus commute, riding 3.5 miles to Montlake Freeway Station on the west side of the S520 bridge and continuing her journey on the 545 bus.

"At peak times there are a lot of people waiting," said Kehoe, 24, when I caught up with her at the stop Wednesday morning. She said sometimes it can take half an hour until a bus with empty bike racks arrives.

Read More

Seattle Sketcher
An illustrated journal of life in the Puget Sound region by Times artist Gabriel Campanario
Illustration used with permission of The Seattle Times

Supporters of Redmond Bike Park asked to speak up

Credit/ Bob Yoder

I was just informed by Carolyn Hope from Parks that the City won a $10,000 grant from Bikes Belong for the "Redmond Bike Park".   Aparently, a Steering Committee of citizens and youth helped to move the project forward with this grant.   

Carolyn wants us to know the City Council will be asked to approve the site for the Redmond Bike Park on Tuesday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.   If you are committed to helping build or donate to the park in some way, your input at this March 2 meeting would encourage the Council.

The Council meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers in City Hall.  Your comments (30 seconds - 3 minutes) are made at the start of the meeting.  Bring your friends and parents. 

The meeting agenda will be posted http://www.redmond.gov/insidecityhall/citycouncil/meetings.asp

If you didn’t already have a chance to review the Site Selection, it is provided here: http://www.redmond.gov/insidecityhall/parksrec/parksplanning/DirtJumps/pdfs/RedmondBikeParkSiteSelectionMemo.pdf

Thank you for your invovlement with this project!

Excerpted from Carolyn Hope's letter to bike park volunteers.
Carolyn Hope, Senior Parks Planner.   
425.556.2313

By Bob Yoder
BMX Bike Park volunteer
Photos By Yoder

Chilly Hilly

Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010

With chilly February weather and 2,675 feet of Hilly climbing, the name says it all!

Chilly Hilly has been kicking off the cycling season in the Northwest for the past 36 years. The 33-mile route around Bainbridge Island starts with an early morning ferry ride across Puget Sound from Seattle or you can join the crowd directly on Bainbridge Island

Join us on Sunday, Feb. 28 for the ride Bicycling Magazine named "One of Four Classic Rides" in the nation! Guaranteed to be hilly, chilly and a heck of a lot of fun.  Sponsored by the Cascade Bicycle Club.  event details

- Cascade Bicycle Club

Posted By Bob Yoder

Comment:  I entered this event about 25 years ago with a 3-speed.  Couldn't keep up with my friends and had to drop out.  The ferry ride was memorable.  Bikes everywhere. Cold.  Lots of fun.  You going?  B.Y. 

Witnesses sought in Highway 202 bike accident

Witnesses sought in Highway 202 bike accident

The State Patrol is seeking witnesses who saw a red minivan that reportedly forced a bicyclist off the road Saturday on Highway 202 east of Redmond.

Troopers said the bicyclist rode into a ditch to avoid being struck head-on by the erratically driven van. The bicyclist suffered serious injuries and was taken to Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue.

by Seattle Times staff

Are there new possibilities for the western trail of the Sammamish River?

On the right is a photo of the artistic railing of the 116th Street Bridge.  It crosses the Sammamish River.  The bridge marks the northernmost beginning of the "western river Powerline Trail" paralleling the Sammamish River.  Mountain bikers, runners and hikers will use this mostly unknown, gravely trail.  The trail crosses over "Peters Creek" by the 90th Street Bridge storage centers and ends at Aegis Living near the 7/11.  The western river "Powerline Trail", with several bridges along the way, is a good alternative to the trafficy Eastern Sammamish River Trail. 

The 116th Street Bridge is known fondly as York Bridge, named after York (1897), a town once situated on the western bank. The art railing and bridge are separate, yet compliment each other.  The artist, Cliff Garten, worked with the bridge engineers to design an arc into the deck.  According to the county bridge plaque "the curving movements of the railing system are memory traces of the braided streams and salmon habitat of the Sammamish River prior to being channeled."

This Sammamish River picture (left) was taken from the York Bridge, looking south towards the city.  You can see both trails, the eastern river trail (left) and western river "Powerline trail."  Note the kayakers pulled up on the eastern banks.  A few years ago, a city consultant (Berger Associates) suggested the city consider diverting some of the hectic eastern trail bike traffic, over the river, to the western side.  His plan is to slow down the eastern side and transition it into quiet, grassy, gathering areas accessing the river.  What do you think about this idea?   Have you been on the Western Sammamish River (Powerline) Trail, yet?   The main trunk of of the western trail ends near a beautiful, huge willow tree and picnic area across the river from from Luke McRedmond Park and the new RiverPark Apartments.  The western trail isn't developed for road bikes at this time, but mountain biking, hiking, and strolling will "get you there.”   Do you think the city should route road bikes to the west for a stretch?

story and photos 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.

Redmond Derby Days clip of bicycle races, bands, and dancing!

A taste of the 2009 Redmond, WA. Derby Days Festival. The bike race is the longest running race in the US, 69 years (and boy, are the bikers tired!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqFbwppKwW4

--this clip was produced by Eva Moon of http://evamoon.net/ and posted on her FaceBook.