Bike Friendly, Bike Aware

When asked what keeps them from bicycling, most people complain of a lack of bike routes completely separate from automobile traffic. How to safely integrate cars and trucks with pedestrians and bikes is a challenge that some cities handle better than others. I've recently had the good fortune to visit two US cities that have good reputations in the bicycling world. I blogged about Boulder, Colorado last month and I just returned from Seattle, Washington. What I saw led me to conclude that some cities succeed in being bike friendly while many cities are just bike aware.

Seattle Bike Rental

I'd considered bringing my folding bike for my visit to Seattle, but the logistics didn't work out. So I did some research before visiting The Bicycle Repair Shop, a repair shop that caters to bicycle commuters but is well-stocked with high-quality bike accessories and a nice fleet of rental bikes.

They offer two basic rental models - a hybrid model with flat handlebars and beefier tires or a road bike with drop bars. I saw some of the hills I was going to climb and opted for the lighter-weight Giant with drop bars. The shop staff even helped me attach the waterproof iPhone bike mount I had brought with me. As I headed out on my adventure to Discovery Park for a dry run of Google Maps on the iPhone (now with bike directions!), I did wish the bike had been equipped with fenders. A light rain would be falling during much of the day's 43 mile ride and fenders would have kept me a bit cleaner.

Navigating Seattle by Bike

The Seattle Bicycle Club offers some nice bike routes with maps that I used to formulate a plan: I'd ride along the Elliott Bay Trail on the western edge of central Seattle, then head north through the Magnolia District to Discovery Park and onto the West Point Lighthouse. Along the way, I'd find some espresso, then head back to the Capitol Hill and cross the I-90 bridge to circumnavigate Mercer Island.

Getting to the Magnolia District from Elliot Bay is a bit hair-raising. There is a multi-use trail that gets you most of the way, but then you're on surface streets, some marked with sharrows and bike lanes, but many without. Most drivers appear to be aware of bikes and treat cyclists with deference, but crossing some of the roads and bridges is not without risk.

The aforementioned waterproof iPhone bike mount was a big help in navigating, though water puddles tended to accumulate around the button for the phone's home key. My only real gripe was that the iPhone's battery is not up to the task of acting as a bicycle-based GPS for more than an hour or so. Several supplemental battery options are available, but I hadn't availed myself of any so I stopped periodically and charged my phone at various cafes.

Seattle is known for coffee, but as a self-confessed coffee snob I found some of the offerings I sampled to be lacking. Not so with Uptown Espresso, where I stopped on my way to Discovery Park. They bill themselves as the "home of the velvet foam," but I had a double espresso sans milk. Nicely done.

Discovery Park

Like San Francisco's Presidio, Discovery Park was a military installation (Fort Lawton) that was decommissioned and repurposed, mostly. Several of the buildings appear vacant, but the roads now serve as multi-use paths in a park setting, free of cars. Given that it was a weekday, I found the area  had a quiet, almost deserted feel.

FAA/ATC Radar site at Discovery Park

Heading down a steep hill, you can make your way to the West Point Lighthouse. There you'll find more deserted buildings and a well-maintained lighthouse building. While there, I noticed a seaplane flying low over the water in the rain and mist.

One mile vis and clear of clouds? Perhaps ...

After heading back through Seattle, I rode some of the city streets. Seattle has many designated bike lanes and sharrow lanes, probably more than most big US cities. Still, you are close to auto traffic, often on steep hills. Nothing can ameliorate the risk of a car-auto accident except sharp vision, good situational awareness, and fast reflexes. Most drivers are aware of cyclists, but that doesn't stop cars from commandeering a designated bike lane for their own purposes.

On my way to Mercer Island, I felt safer once I was on the multi-use path that leads to the I-90 tunnel and bridge. Unlike other communities, the I-90 tunnel was designed so that it is not shared with motor vehicles and that, frankly, makes a huge difference.

Tunnel, Eastbound

Tunnel, Westbound

The trip around Mercer Island was mostly uneventful, though Google Maps got confused about what constitutes a bike path and what is a trail. There are some designated bike lanes and some separate multi-use paths, lots of trees and shade, and generally quiet streets.

Attention Google, a trail at the top of a driveway is not a road!

Bike route? WTF Google!

Mostly Separate ...

The next day the weather was much drier and so I decided to make my way from Central Seattle to Alki Beach in West Seattle. Taking the Elliott Bay Trail south you head through a lot of construction with several bike path detours, some clearly marked, others not so much.

It could be my imagination, but it seems like the diesel trucks that shuttle about the port are not as clean-burning as those found in the Bay Area. When transiting an industrial area, there's not a lot you can do about air quality.

The signs to the Alki Trail are pretty extensive, which is good because you have to make your way through a maze of turns, street crossings, and switchbacks. Google Maps handled the circuitous route very nicely and I was glad I had it for reference. Eventually I found the entrance to the West Seattle bike bridge, complete with a electronic, bike-counting sign.

Once across the bridge, the multi-use Alki Trail becomes much quieter and less industrial. As I followed the trail around to the Alki Bath House, I was reminded of the Marina in San Francisco. It was a beautiful day and there were many trail users about, some more situationally aware than others.

Bike Aware and Pretty Friendly

My conclusions about Seattle, albeit drawn from a visit during pretty good summer weather, is that it is a very bike aware city that is well on its way to becoming truly bike friendly. There's a dedicated group of cyclists, cycling organizations, and city leaders who have made many improvements and accommodations for non-motorized vehicles. If you find yourself in Seattle, why not visit The Bicycle Repair Shop, rent a bike and helmet, and see for yourself?