Broadway cycle track: first impressions

Earlier this week, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) opened a demonstration section of the Broadway cycle track, inviting users to explore a safer way to get around. Part of the First Hill Streetcar project, the cycle track will improve bicycle safety in a high use area and, once complete, help bicyclists access streetcar stations and future Sound Transit light rail stations. This demonstration section, running from Denny Way to East Union Street, is about one-third of what will eventually be a mile long track running along the east side of Broadway from Denny Way to Yesler Way, where it will also connect with new bike lanes and markings coming to Yesler Way, 14^th Avenue, and Jackson Street.  The full length of the track is slated to open next spring. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, our AmeriCorps intern, Miranda Kubasti visited the new cycle track. Here are her first impressions:

It was a foggy morning but the Broadway cycle track is very well marked. There are signs directing bikes to the lane, traffic lights specifically for the bikes.

All of the major intersections now have signs for no right turn on red if you're headed northbound across the cycle track, and yield for the bike lane signs for turning Eastbound off of Broadway.

Intersections and driveway outlets are also painted green, and driveways have accompanying bike x-ing signs. There are also some small concrete barriers, and some painted barriers with white cone.

I thought it was really cool that some bus stops are islands on the street side of the track, so that buses don't have to pull into and stop on the track.

So far the track only goes from Union to Denny, and at the Denny end there is a green turning box to cross from the right-side sharrow to the track on the left side.

I can't wait for the Broadway bikeway to be completed so that people of all ages and abilities can ride safely to where they need to go.