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.

MyNorthwest News

A Coast Guardsman tosses a rope to a kayaker in distress after the kayaker's boat overturned north ...

Tom Brock

San Juan Islands Rescue: Coast Guard crews save man after his kayak overturns

A Coast Guard helicopter and rescue boat saved a man from the chilly waters of the Salish Sea Friday, after his kayak capsized near Orcas Island.

16 hours ago

Boeing (2)...

Tom Brock

Software glitch raises safety concerns for Boeing 737 MAX planes

Boeing has notified its customers of a computer glitch on its 737 MAX planes that could force pilots to land manually, instead of using autopilot.

18 hours ago

seattle ranking cities...

MyNorthwest Staff

Seattle earns 4th-highest ranking in the world in new study of 1,000 cities

A new study ranks Seattle 4th globally, highlighting governance, economics, and quality of life among cities.

22 hours ago

parenting...

Katrina Guischard

The parenting advice going viral right now: be the pilot, not the passenger

An expert is challenging some of today's most popular parenting trends, and it's striking a chord.

2 days ago

ritzville i-90 closed visibility...

Jason Sutich

I-90 in Ritzville reopens after dust storm caused multiple collisions

I-90 in Ritzville has reopened after both directions were blocked Friday due to multiple collisions.

2 days ago

Ballard hit-and-run...

KIRO Newsradio staff

20-year-old sentenced to more than 3 years for deadly 2025 Ballard hit-and-run

The man accused in the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian in Ballard last year has been sentenced to more than three years in prison.

2 days ago

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