Miles of new protected bike lanes highlight $18.5 million Seattle plans for 2015

If you think Seattle’s new protected bike lane on Second Avenue is a big deal, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The city is gearing up to implement the Bicycle Master Plan aimed at dramatically expanding the number of riders and facilities across Seattle.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has just released its five-year plan to implement the city’s vision, three months after missing a deadline set by the Seattle City Council when it passed the strategic plan in April.

The SDOT plan calls for work to begin in earnest in 2015, leading ultimately to nearly 33 miles of protected bike lanes and more than 52 miles of neighborhood greenways across Seattle over the next five years.

The initial round of projects planned for next year, at a cost of $18.2 million, include:

Creating approximately seven miles of protected bike lanes, to include a facility on Roosevelt Way NE (NE 45th Street to the University Bridge) to improve safety;

Building more than 12 miles of neighborhood greenways in Ballard, West Seattle, the Central Area and Southeast Seattle;

Beginning construction on the Westlake Cycle Track to create a safer, more comfortable and more predictable corridor for drivers, walkers and bicyclists;

Installing 225 bike racks and 15 on-street bike corrals; and

Creating 25 miles of bike route wayfinding signs throughout the city.

“This five-year implementation plan emphasizes aggressive action to make cycling easier and safer throughout Seattle,” said Mayor Ed Murray in a statement. “As the new protected bike lane on Second Avenue shows, these types of bike projects can have a transformative effect on our growing city.”

You can view a map and details of the proposal here.

The new Bicycle Master Plan envisions, “riding a bicycle is a comfortable and integral part of daily life in Seattle for people of all ages and abilities.” It emphasizes safety, connectivity, equity, ridership and livability, and aims to create a network connecting the entire city.

SDOT’s implementation plan still needs approval by the City Council. It’s a fraction of the overall plan passed by the City Council, which calls for 474 miles of new or improved bike routes, at a cost of approximately $20 million a year for 20 years.

Funding for the projects come from a number of sources, including money designated for BMP implementation in the city’s Bridging the Gap levy, as well as state and federal grants.