At the Tuesday, April 16, city council meeting, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne signed a proclamation designating May 2024 as Olympia Bicycle Month.
The proclamation highlighted the health, environmental and transportation benefits of bicycling.
Kristin Gilkerson, Transportation Program specialist, noted the city's projects to support bicycling. She highlighted the Boulevard Trail Crossing project between the Union Avenue pathway and Wheeler Avenue. This project will extend the bike corridor from Lions Park to the regional trails network and improve crossings for cyclists and pedestrians.
Gilkeson also noted the Downtown Bike Corridor project, providing a low-stress bike route from downtown to the Karen Fraser Woodland Trail entrance.
She added that construction is set to begin this summer on the Fones Road Corridor Project, which aims to transform the road to make it safe for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers along this major corridor. Two key components that will support cycling are the addition of fully separated bike lanes on both sides of Fones Road and an improved crossing at the Woodland Trail.
Meanwhile, Duncan Green of Intercity Transit invites the Olympia community to participate in the 37th annual Bicycle Community Challenge (BCC) hosted by Intercity Transit in May.
Green, the BCC coordinator, announced that this year's theme is "Many Riders, Many Reasons, One Planet" to promote sustainable transportation and celebrate Earth Day.
Green invited the community to the Earth Day Market Ride kickoff for the BCC on April 20. This Earth Day event marks the beginning of National Bike Month celebrations. He added that the challenge celebrates Bike to Work Day on May 16.
Residents can visit this site for more information.
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Southsoundguy
I am constantly driving around d downtown for and have seen exactly zero bikers in the bike lanes. Waste, fraud, and abuse.
Saturday, April 20 Report this
KarenM
My goodness Southsoundguy - this certainly doesn't qualify as waste, fraud and abuse There were so many cyclists at the Earth Day Market Ride today that they arranged for traffic control as we rode from the Heritage Fountain to the Market. The annual Community Challenge is a well loved event.
Cycling is a legitimate form of transportation and deserves proper infrastructure to support it.
I am glad that our city is making changes to provide safe riding for people who cycle.
Saturday, April 20 Report this
HotTractor
I'm glad they are promoting bicycles for transportation and health. It needs to be extended and expanded to make if even safer for bike riders. Southsoundguy has a point in the waste is over providing infrastructure for vehicles and underwhelming support for the infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians. It is lacking and make it difficult and unsafe for bike riders and pedestrian traffic to travel from one area to another. It's piecemeal and doesn't have an overarching coherent plan. I don't go downtown often but i do see some bike riders so if ssguy isn't seeing them then that might be a problem and kinda proves how inadequate the bike infrastructure is.
Sunday, April 21 Report this
ChuckCross
As long as society as a whole does not feel overly impacted by tax dollar expenditures benefiting a minority of society, such expenditures will continue. Obviously cycling will not become the major form of transportation, now or in the future, nor will walking become a major form of transportation. When compared to many other tax dollar transportation expenditures, what is spent on cycling or pedestrian safety is relatively minor.
Sunday, April 21 Report this
KarenM
A response to Chuck Cross who says - " nor will walking become a major form of transportation" -
People who drive somewhere still need to WALK to their destination - even if it is a short distance. People who ride the bus need to walk to their bus stop. People who don't have a driver license (which includes a large number of people under age for a license, for example) need to walk as part of their transportation.
Walking is our most fundamental form of transportation. Or, in some cases, rolling in a wheelchair or rolling device of some kind.
The most popular form of exercise is going for a walk. That is above any other form of exercise including the organized sports such as baseball and golfing and others. (Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2011-2015) Our community should be a safe place to go for a walk. It is great for our physical and mental health and neighborly to boot.
Monday, April 22 Report this
BCBEAN
Why doesn't Olympia have a "New Mobility" program with bike share, etc.
4 days ago Report this