improving lives through bicycling
FINISH You did it! p. 6-7
February 2016 / Vol. 46 No. 2
cascade.org
Eastside Greenway Alliance Launch
Experience Seattle like never before
By McKayla Dunfey, Eastside Advocacy Manager
By Briana Orr, Communications & Marketing Manager
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
7787 62nd Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115 www.cascade.org
TIME DATED MATERIAL
PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Seattle, WA PERMIT No. 2172
Last month, we celebrated great momentum around the Eastside Rail Corridor. From King County’s Rail Removal Commemoration and a bike ride on the Cross Kirkland Corridor to the Eastside Rail Corridor Summit and launch of the Eastside Greenway Alliance, we had many reasons to celebrate. Cascade, along with seven other organizations, will continue advocating for Eastside Rail Corridor development through the newly formed Eastside Greenway Alliance. Alliance organizations include Cascade Bicycle Club, The Trust for Public Land, Transportation Choices Coalition (TCC), Forterra, Futurewise, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and Washington Trails Association. The Eastside Greenway Alliance aims to build community support, bring expertise to the development project and bring together nonprofits to align work and develop strategy under a common vision to advance the development of the corridor.
The new Emerald City Bike Ride will take riders on I-5 Express Lanes and the new SR 520 Bridge— the world’s longest floating bridge!
King County Executive Dow Constantine holds up the a ceremonial golden rail spike, the first of many spikes removed by Eastside Greenway Alliance leaders in January.
The Eastside Rail Corridor is a former 42-mile rail corridor extending from Renton to Snohomish. Kirkland and Redmond have built sections of multi-use trail through segments of the corridor, and the rest of the region is pushing for connections to the north and south of these community assets. Three months ago the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously approved the removal of rails through King County owned sections of the corridor, further emphasizing political support, enthusiasm and urgency to move this regional multi-use development project forward. The King County sections will be open for pedestrian and bicycle use after the rail is removed.
With our partners, Cascade is excited to grow the Eastside Greenway Alliance into an effective tool for furthering goals of building a new way to move, connect and live on the Eastside. For more information about the Alliance or our Eastside advocacy work, please contact McKayla at mckaylad@cascade.org.
The cat’s outta the bag! Experience a car-free Seattle this year with the Emerald City Bike Ride. Join us on Sunday, April 3 for the largest closed-streets bike ride in Seattle and experience routes that you’ve never been able to bicycle on before — the new SR 520 (the world’s longest floating bridge) and I-5 Express Lanes!
will pedal along the Express Lanes, which will be fully closed to cars, for nearly four miles. Getting off at the Cherry Street exit, riders will then pedal up King Street through the heart of the International District, with a rest stop stocked with neighborhood treats in Hing Hay Park. From there riders will head up King Street and down to beautiful Lake Washington Blvd, pedaling along the lakefront back up to the University of Washington.
8-mile 520 experience
Choose from 20-mile or 8-mile route options with views that can’t be beat. This ride is intended to be accessible to everyone who enjoys riding a bicycle, so bring the whole family! Food stops will have tasty eats that showcase the neighborhood-specific cuisine. Riders will receive a commemorative t-shirt, route support and a supported rest stop on the longer route.
20-mile tour of the city • 20 miles • 1,077 feet of climbing • Some hills, mostly rolling • Start line open from 7–8 a.m. This route begins just south of the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium. Riders will head out and back on the new SR 520 Bridge (world’s longest floating bridge), then through the University District and onto the I-5 Express Lanes. Riders
• 8 miles • 237 feet of climbing • Primarily flat route (6 percent grade on both sides of the bridge) • Start line open from 8–8:15 a.m. Designed for families with children and beginning riders, this fun, flat route will give you a chance to be one of the first people on the new SR 520 Bridge. Out on the bridge you’ll be able to stop, look around, take a photo and enjoy the bridge on two wheels before it opens to cars. This route begins and ends just south of the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium. Riders will head out and back on the closed northbound lane of Montlake Blvd, and the new SR 520 Bridge will be entirely closed to vehicle traffic.
Additional start line on the Eastside! Riders that pre-register and have received their rider bib number will be able to access the NEW SR 520 bridge via the bicycle trail entry point at the transfer station on the east side of SR 520. Access will start at 7:15 a.m. and end at 8:15 a.m. Registration is now open to Cascade Members and the general public! Register early and save money at cascade.org/emeraldcity.