Thanks a billion!

Over the last 18 months voters and elected officials have made record investments of over $1.1 billion for biking and walking across Washington state. Your voice and generosity made it possible.

Momentum is growing for making smart investments in transportation that promote safety, health, and economic development. Through state, regional, and local transportation measures passed by voters and elected officials over the past 18 months, biking and walking investments are at an all-time high in Washington state, including the following:

• Over $370 million approved in Sound Transit 3 to make it easier to bike and walk to transit (passed by voters in November 2016)
• Millions approved via parks and transportation ballot measures in Bellingham, Bothell, Bellevue, and Kenmore (passed by voters in November 2016)
• Approximately $240 million included for biking, walking, trail, and safe routes to school investments in the Levy to Move Seattle (passed by voters in November 2015)
• Approximately $500 million allocated for biking and walking safety, safe routes to schools, individual biking and walking projects, and complete streets in the 2015 State Transportation Package (Passed in the Washington State Legislature and signed by the Governor in July 2015)

These investments total over $1.1 billion to make active transportation and safer streets possible across Washington state! 

That's a number unheard of in our state until now and it highlights the increased focus on biking and walking as a transportation priority statewide. Comparing last year’s Washington state transportation package that committed approximately $500 million to our priorities with the previous 2005 package that committed $72 million over a similar 16-year timeframe and one can see that the 2015 package equates to a sevenfold increase in state investments to make safer streets and better bike connections. 

And the growth in investments don’t stop at the ballot box. Seattle, Bellevue, and King County’s budgets approved in the past few weeks continue to emphasize more investments for trails, and biking. In late November the Seattle City Council passed a budget that will accelerate the Bike Master Plan, as well as add staffers for outreach and fundraising. Similarly, Bellevue’s budget adoption made earlier this month included $2.5 million for the Eastside Rail Corridor — hot on on the heels of King County's approval of $7 million — means the region is on track for a continuous Eastside Rail Corridor trail between Kirkland and Renton, via Bellevue by 2020. 

What’s leading the charge for these common sense investments? You. 

Through your advocacy, volunteering, and generous gifts Cascade and its partners are able to amplify the voices of Washingtonians who increasingly want safe places to bike and walk. Your support allows Cascade to reach new partners in the business community and chambers of commerce statewide that have a growing interest in attracting the $3.1 billion that bicycle riders spend across Washington state. Your support allows Cascade to work increasingly to advocate for improving health for our state’s children — as the nation’s obesity crisis grows, getting more children biking and walking daily gives them more chances to reach the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

The work to get these investments comes from you taking action and speaking out for safer streets and better bikeways, and by providing support for the work at Cascade Bicycle Club to make it easier and safer to ride a bike. 

But our work is not over. Despite the continued strong support by voters statewide for priorities like Safe Routes to School, programs like the WSDOT Safe Routes to School Grant Program continue to be heavily oversubscribed. In short, we have much more work to do.

Want to grow the momentum so that more Washingtonians have safe places to bike? We cannot do it without you. Your gift will be matched through year end. Give here today. 

Thanks a billion!