Top Five Wins for Safer Bicycling in the Seattle Transportation Levy

  • The mayor and City Council included $133.5 million for bike infrastructure in the Seattle Transportation Levy thanks to Cascade’s advocacy and public support for more safe bike routes.
  • South Seattle will see major improvements in its bike network if voters approve the Levy.
  • We urge all Seattleites to vote YES in November so that we can continue progress toward making Seattle’s transportation system safer for everyone.
Tyler Vasquez

Tyler Vasquez

New protected bike lane on Jose Rizal Bridge

After months of public comments, education efforts, and tireless advocacy by Cascade Bicycle Club and our active transportation allies, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the City Council sent the Seattle Transportation Levy to voters for approval in November. 

This Levy dedicates $133.5 million over eight years to expand the city bike network by closing bicycle lane gaps and adding concrete barriers citywide. It also improves bicycle connections in South Seattle where bike infrastructure has been historically underfunded. 

We urge all Seattle voters to vote YES in November when the Transportation Levy appears on the general election ballot.  

This Levy represents the largest allocation of funding for safer bicycling in Seattle history, and it wouldn’t have happened without the hundreds of letters you sent to Mayor Bruce Harrell and the City Council over the last several months. Working together through the democratic process, we convinced our elected leaders that Seattle needs and wants safer bicycling for everyone.

Lee Lambert speaks at Levy news conference
Cascade Executive Director Lee Lambert speaks at Mayor Bruce Harrell's news conference in support of the Levy. "Biking is a fundamental part of our transportation system," he said. 

Top Five Bicycle Wins in the Transportation Levy  

In addition to funding increases for Safe Routes to School, Vision Zero traffic safety, sidewalks, and other improvements that will boost active transportation across Seattle, the Levy would spend a record $133.5 million to:

  • Create more protected bike lanes in South Seattle
  • Build an approximately seven-mile protected bike lane from Capitol Hill to South Beacon Hill
  • Increase safety by replacing painted lines and flexible posts with concrete barriers that protect people from motor vehicles
  • Honor the late Steve Hulsman with a bike lane along Marine View Drive in West Seattle
  • Build a multi-use corridor through Ballard to avoid and provide a safer option to bypass the dangerous Missing Link on the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Cleaning protected bike lanes in the U District
Cascade organizes bike lane cleanups every fall to remove wet leaves that can be hazardous to people on bikes. The Levy would create a new program with dedicated funding to maintain and clean Seattle's bike lanes, which are often littered with broken glass, leaves and other hazards that deter bicycling.

The Levy would also:

  • Create a program to maintain and clean bike lanes of hazardous debris and wet leaves, improving safety
  • Add five Neighborhood Greenways serving Seattle Public Schools and Link light rail stations 
  • Improve bike network connections to schools, libraries, grocery stores, and essential destinations
  • Expand connections to the Chief Sealth Trail in South Seattle.

One thing is certain: if approved, this Levy will improve safety and continue progress toward making Seattle one of the more bike-friendly cities in the nation.

Join me in urging your neighbors, family, co-workers, and friends to approve this historic expenditure that makes bicycling a critical part of our city’s transportation network.

Vote Yes on the Seattle Transportation Levy in November.

 

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