JASON RANTZ

Seattle bike activists justifiably livid with Mayor Murray

May 2, 2016, 1:20 PM | Updated: 4:22 pm

Numbers from a Seattle bike survey are concerning, given how much time the City of Seattle spends o...

Numbers from a Seattle bike survey are concerning, given how much time the City of Seattle spends on placating the small but vocal bicyclist community. (AP)

(AP)

The activist bicycle community in Seattle is upset with the mayor — and they’re absolutely right to be.

After promoting an outrageous expansion of bike lanes in a city where it will dramatically hurt traffic, Mayor Ed Murray has put the brakes on many of the projects. The mayor’s plan went from 36 miles of protected bike lanes to 25 miles. Neighborhood greenways have been reduced from 52 miles to 32 miles. Downtown Seattle, in particular, won’t be getting what was promised.

Related: Seattle cyclists angered over city’s latest bike plan

In an updated plan that is barely in English, we’re told:

As mentioned earlier, the 2015-2019 and the 2016-2020 BMP Implementation Plan project lists differ in the number of downtown bicycle facilities due to the desire to develop a cohesive long-term multimodal transportation plan prior to building bicycle facilities that may not comply with overlapping modal needs.

This essentially means they’re doing what they should have done before they announced the ridiculous plan of 36 miles of protected bike lanes: they’re studying the streets to make sure the bike lanes make sense. I support this move. This is smart planning. But it’s planning they should have done before trying to cater to the bike activists, in order to get their support for the Move Seattle transportation levy.

The bike community has every right in the world to be upset with the sudden change in plans. They were promised something, they supported the mayor, then had the promise taken away.

As much as I disagreed with the plan as proposed, it’s a disingenuous move to take the plans away after people supported it.

Perhaps ironically, this was the exact type of scenario I predicted with the Move Seattle plan. The Seattle Department of Transportation put out a list of project plans that you thought they’d support if you passed the levy, but there was absolutely no mandate that they take on the projects at all. And it was clear that the project list was set up in a way to get people to support the plan; the city has no intention of completing all those projects the way they proposed.

Justifiably angry commenters on the Seattle Bike Blog called this about-face “a load of crap,” and wonder who could be held responsible. Start with yourselves: you should have known this was coming. But the ire should be turned towards the mayor’s office; you were used, and as much as I’m ultimately siding with the mayor on this update in plans, it’s wrong to use constituencies and not follow through.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Image: Seattle Police Department officers arrest a woman caught driving a stolen car full of stolen...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Activists to harass cops with Seattle Police complaint campaign

A Seattle Police complaint campaign by activists amounts to little more than harassment. But it could backfire, generating sympathy for cops.

4 hours ago

Image: A Boeing 737 Max 10 airliner taxis past a hanger on the flight line before its first flight ...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: It’s time for Washington to worry about Boeing surviving

Boeing controversy after controversy, plus bad press, threatens the company's future. Washington should be very worried right now.

1 day ago

Image: Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters dur...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Trump ‘bloodbath’ controversy is the latest media invention

When President Donald Trump used the term "bloodbath," the media became unhinged. He wasn't talking about violence, but the auto industry.

1 day ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: KTTH Roundtable: Will TikTok Be Banned?

A local mystery was solved in Los Angeles (with a surprising end result) and Jason Rantz and Bryan Suits tackle the arguments behind the TikTok ban. Listen to The Bryan Suits Show weekdays from 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen to The Jason Rantz […]

3 days ago

Inset: Headshot of Seattle Police Department (SPD) Captain Deanna Nollette; Primary photo: An SPD v...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Officer suing Seattle police for gender discrimination accused of gender bias

Seattle police officers said Captain Deanna Nollette, who sued the department for gender bias, is "notorious" for mistreating female officers.

5 days ago

Kim Wyman...

Bill Kaczaraba

Is ex-Secretary of State Kim Wyman running for that office again?

Rumors are spreading that former Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman is running for that office again.

5 days ago

Seattle bike activists justifiably livid with Mayor Murray