MYNORTHWEST NEWS

It’s not just tracks Seattle cyclists need to worry about

Oct 5, 2016, 12:23 PM | Updated: 3:36 pm

bike lanes, cyclists...

(File, Chris Sullivan/KIRO Radio)

(File, Chris Sullivan/KIRO Radio)

It’s not just tracks that Seattle cyclists have to keep their eyes open for. Those pesky tacks reported along the Westlake Avenue protected bike lane aren’t going away.

The Seattle Times reports the Seattle Department of Transportation swept the bike lane on Tuesday. And the police department opened an investigation.

The protected bike lanes were built to make things safer for cyclists. The lanes, placed between parking lots and businesses, gets bikes completely off of the busy roadway while leaving space for pedestrians to walk. The project was highlighted in what the Seattle Bike Blog calls a mini-documentary on StreetFilms.

“It was a long and often frustrating fight to get this bikeway completed, so it’s pretty fun to see it get the full StreetFilms treatment,” the blog posted.

Unfortunately for those on bikes, the lanes aren’t as perfect as they should be thanks to those tacks.

The Bike Blog is almost certain that an “unhinged person” is placing the tacks.

“People are already showing up late to work or to pick up their kids thanks to flats,” the Bike Blog posted. “It’s only a matter of time before someone is injured when their tire blows out.”

While cyclists deal with tacks, they’re also dealing with tracks on the roadway. A board will soon begin an investigation between streetcar tracks and bikes, due to the number of people reportedly being injured while riding over the tracks.

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It’s not just tracks Seattle cyclists need to worry about