Walking

Summer in Puget Sound means the return of Trailhead Direct, Bicycle Weekends, Seattle's free Waterfront Shuttle, and the Hurricane Ridge Shuttle.

The kiosks, scattered around downtown and eventually other busy business districts, would provide ad revenue for groups like the Downtown Seattle Association. Last year, the Seattle Design Commission rejected the proposal as half-baked and suggested a smaller pilot instead.

The fully completed plan, intended to provide an array of strategies that would advance Pierce County toward a goal of eliminating deaths and serious injuries by 2035, was only approved by a 4-3 vote last week.

Tacoma voters balked at the price tag of the Streets Initiative II levy. That leaves Tacoma officials scrambling to come up with plan B to grapple with street safety and maintenance needs.

Seattle's waterfront bike path from Expedia Park to Myrtle Edwards Park is closed for renovations through August. A detour to the waterfront pedestrian path is offered, but people biking must yield to pedestrians. The pedestrian path will be closed for renovations after the bike path work is complete.

Car access to Pike Place's main corridor will be restricted to loading vehicles, emergency access, and people accessing ADA parking. The Market is calling the move a "test and learn" opportunity that could open the door to long-term pedestrianization.

New legislation in Olympia could help us rethink and reclaim the street as a true public easement. If passed and its provisions delivered, we can look forward to streets that are not only more welcoming of public life, but a lot less deadly to all users. 

Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler has presented car-centric preliminary designs for the 6th Street project, with no alternative building sidewalks and bike lanes to state safety standards. Travis Merrigan argues the Bremerton City Council should press the City to study such an option.