Expand bike sharing to West Seattle? City seeking grant $

| Transportation | West Seattle news

(From city application for federal grant: Medium-blue shading is proposed expansion area; dark blue is “vulnerable population” area)
If you go downtown, you see them seemingly everywhere – racks of Pronto Bike Share bicycles, ready to be rented to get from Point A to Point B, in a program launched last fall. West Seattle would seem to have plenty of potential, but isn’t part of the bike-share zone.

Yet.

As first reported by Seattle Bike Blog, an expansion of the bike-share network, including part of West Seattle, is part of a city application for a federal grant. The application for a TIGER grant is titled Northgate Non-Motorized Access to Transit and Education; 60 percent of the $25 million sought would go toward a bike/pedestrian bridge in Northgate that’s long been on the drawing board. But the other 40 percent would go to expand bike-sharing service in other areas of the city, including bringing it to part of West Seattle, primarily toward the “Access to Transit and Education” part of the grant, to improve access to South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). From the full application document:

South Seattle College is situated on the far eastern edge of West Seattle on a bluff overlooking the Duwamish industrial corridor. It lacks direct east/west connections to the neighborhood’s primary transit corridor on Delridge Way. Significant slopes require out of direction travel for safe walking and bicycling connections to the college. The college is located 1.5 miles from the closest bus stop at Delridge Way and Juneau Street. This is a 28 minute walk that will be a 7 minute trip on bikeshare with this expansion. The 138’ elevation climb of this trip will also be improved with electric assist bicycles.

SSC, of course, does have closer bus stops, so that line should read, “from the closest DELRIDGE bus stop.”

The cost of the proposed system expansion is proposed at $10,075,000, with $10m from the requested grant and $75,000 from city funds. To buy the bikes – $5,125,000 city funds, $3,000,000 private funding (from Pronto’s operator) is proposed.

While the map excerpted atop this story, from page 6 of the application, shows (in medium blue) what area of West Seattle is proposed to be part of the bike-share expansion, the city documents make it clear that they won’t be able to get specific about stations and locations until they know whether they get the full grant. Overall, though, the application says:

The project will expand the bikeshare system to 250 stations with 2,500 bikes. The proposed bikeshare fleet will include electric drive, pedal assist bikes (e-bikes). The proposed expansion will increase the service area from 5 square miles of the city and 14% of the population to 42 square miles serving 62% of the population (Figure 10). E-bikes will help Seattleites and visitors traverse the many hills in the city and take longer trips…

You’ll find many more details in SBB editor Tom Fucoloro’s report, which says a decision on the grant request is due this fall. (P.S. And if you like to comb through documents – find them all on the city website.)

M June 10, 2015 (6:26 pm)

What’s the southern cutoff point we see on that map? Alaska ave? I’d like to see a station in the Morgan Junction.

JayDee June 10, 2015 (6:36 pm)

The critical line in the article:”You see them everywhere in downtown…” Yep, patiently locked to the Pronto bike racks. No flocks of Pronto riders and a very expensive program per rider, similar to the feel-good streetcar system that no one rides (Hence the reason for trying to prioritize S.L.U….Streetcar over cars in Amazonia. Too few, too late, too expensive. We need to build dedicated bike lanes (not just paint’n’sharrows). Make it safe for people to ride bikes, and they will ride their own, not expensive Pronto bikes.

AmandaKH June 10, 2015 (6:45 pm)

Wow, so this won’t even come to the one and only transit hub in West Seattle? Where 6 lines end and begin?
*
Without connection to Westwood, no thank you.

Citizen Sane June 10, 2015 (7:22 pm)

I have used the bikeshare program quite a bit in Denver and DC, but here, it’s just a dumb idea. Reason: geography, as in ‘too damn many hills’. The bikes will be underutilized. I’d rather see the money spent fixing potholes, to be honest with you.

cj June 10, 2015 (7:25 pm)

Too much money, not enough users, not enough safe riding areas, too many cars.

Community Member June 10, 2015 (7:28 pm)

This feels like, “OH – THAT is why they are taking away the parking on Admiral! It’s part of applying for a federal transportation grant.”
.
Why wasn’t this mentioned at the Admiral meetings? Clearly it is part of the same transportation master plan. Why have a meeting, and keep this part secret?
.
Why wouldn’t they have wanted to promote this to the Admiral group as part of the reason for supporting the proposed changes?

old timer June 10, 2015 (7:59 pm)

This will probably be used as much as the much screamed for bicycle racks at the SE corner of Alaska and California.
IMO, money would be better spent improving the bus, or as stated above, fixing the potholed roads.

tim June 10, 2015 (8:22 pm)

I’m all over downtown and Capital Hill I see them being used and the racks empty. I see people riding in pioneer square and elsewhere. I thought when they were first placed what a dumb idea but have changed my mind. I don’t know how it would work in West Seattle. Up and down California Ave?

ChefJoe June 10, 2015 (8:29 pm)

I don’t really see the logic here. It’s like someone really wants to expand so they can take pictures of pronto bike stations at alki point rather than do something more logical like target these along the roads that have been parceled out for bike lanes already. Why not a few stations along Fauntleory to hit Morgan Junction so you can have more than a finger of light blue hitting SSCC, which they claim to be trying to target ?

Jeff June 10, 2015 (8:31 pm)

I ride my bike a ton, and think more people should, but this seems downright wasteful.

JN June 10, 2015 (8:50 pm)

I see these being used a lot downtown. I’ll reserve my judgement for their use here when they are installed, but they are very useful.

dsa June 10, 2015 (9:48 pm)

“…The cost of the proposed system expansion is proposed at $10,075,000, with $10m from the requested grant and $75,000 from city funds. To buy the bikes – $5,125,000 city funds, $3,000,000 private funding…
.
This is for, if I read it correctly 2,500 bikes. Yikes 3,000 to 4,000 clams per bike. Leave out in infrastructure and just buy bikes and pass them around.

acemotel June 10, 2015 (10:12 pm)

Getting a bike grant is more important than accommodating visitors to the public park, Alki Beach. The grant is more important than all the residents of Admiral Way, all the residents of the Alki neighborhood. This is NOT how things are done in Seattle. Does SDOT really think people will bike from Renton to Alki, or from Bellevue to Alki? Oh, yeah, maybe on the motorized bikes! The bike grant is more important than families, than the disabled, than the elderly.

Denny June 10, 2015 (10:24 pm)

Admiral Junction, Alaska Junction, Triangle, Morgan Junction, Endolyne, Westwood, Youngstown, Water Taxi, Alki, High Point, South Seattle College, Police Station on Delridge.

A dozen stations would cover +70% of WS population.

MacJ June 10, 2015 (10:29 pm)

This is the first time I’ve seen electric assist mentioned with the bike share program. That could be huge.

H June 10, 2015 (11:03 pm)

@Denny, spot on!
@MacJ, electric assist would be fantastic and make them open to more users.

Kathy June 10, 2015 (11:15 pm)

If this happens, the drunks on Alki will finally have a car-free way to get home. Just take a Pronto bike along the Alki multi use trail up Avalon to Yancy, dock it and get on the Rapid Ride. Because right now the last local bus leaves Alki at 9:30 PM on weekdays, around 10:30 weekends. But guess what, the night life on Alki goes on til the wee hours, and the bike rental places don’t stay open that late. If this happens, I can stay for the discussion after the opera at Seattle Center without worrying about missing the last local bus to Alki from the Alaska Junction. Just get a Pronto bike at the RR stop at Avalon and Yancy or Bradford and roll home down the hill and along the trail. In my fancy clothes, no less. I think I could just make that trip in under 30 minutes. I have used Pronto downtown 15 days so far since I got my membership in October. On my last ride I was able to make it from 2nd & Spring (near 1st downtown RR stop) to 12th and Yesler up that really steep hill over the freeway. It was slow, took me 21 minutes, but the low gear (they have 7) was able to handle it. It’s a great alternative to putting your own bike on the bus racks. Those racks aren’t always so easy to use, they can be full sometimes when you need them, and with Pronto, you don’t have to worry about getting your bike stolen or fumbling with a lock. You just push it into the dock and walk away. I can get off the Rapid Ride at 2nd and Seneca, grab a bike around the corner and be in South Lake Union for an appointment 13 minutes later. No way could I transfer to another bus and make the trip that fast. I love that they are going to try to expand into West Seattle, I just wish they could have stations at the 3 junctions on California, with relatively flat and calm parallel streets on 44th (southbound) and 42nd (northbound). Maybe a sponsor could step up and fund a station at each junction? With broad coverage, this could be a very cheap transportation option. An annual membership is about the same cost as a one month off-peak bus pass. Could you maintain and store a personal bike for less than $85 plus tax per year? I heard they are going to have a senior discounted membership for $63 plus tax per year, even better since I am approaching the golden age…..

J June 11, 2015 (5:44 am)

Biking makes me happy, so I like this idea. More happy people would be wonderful. Does anyone know how adjustable the bikes are (could short adults ride them?)

Lacey June 11, 2015 (6:54 am)

this is so cool! I see people riding these downtown (where I work) all the time! I commute on bike to downtown via water taxi, and on the way back I’m faced with hopping the shuttle or riding up the hill– it usually ends up being the shuttle ;) but with the ebikes id totally be down to hit that hill more often, plus on days when I’m not physically feeling 100% they sure would help!

westseattledood June 11, 2015 (8:28 am)

What is the timeline proposed for this? Did I miss that? If there were to be a goodly amount of ebikes included and it would be available relatively soon, I agree with MacJ that it could be darn great.

Look at the membership costs!

Imagine future racks at the libraries, a senior housing building or community centers!

I have seen the ebikers downtown and they are jamming the hills with pearls and ties flying in the breeze through Pioneer Square. With smiles!

I don’t think it would hurt to look at this more closely before the door is slammed. Take a less passionate stance, because really, just how tweakable is this? Is there *really* no way it could not truly serve a couple of inaugural east/west corridors if future use could expand? And besides that, SDOT needs guidance to get it right, as it always has, but also especially so with Mr. Kubly. He seems to definitely need to have special guidance.

WSB June 11, 2015 (8:34 am)

See the line toward end; grant decision expected in a few months. This is the same type of grant originally sought for the South Park Bridge replacement – national and usually lots of competition; the SP Bridge lost its first try and then got a related grant that helped enable the rebuild.

westseattledood June 11, 2015 (8:55 am)

Thanks TR. Got it. Also, I just thought of racks in South Park for those who WALK up Olsen Way to get to White Center grocery stores!!! Of course, we need a ped/bike lane from South Park to White Center, but that is one of the things I mentioned to the SDOT fellow. Might never happen in my lifetime, but it *should*. Digressing there, but the point is the golden carrot of cost effective expansion for communities which are desperate for connectors to Delridge.

Jeff June 11, 2015 (9:00 am)

I guess what I don’t understand is how bike shares work in general. I mean, bikes are super cheap. I’ve never known someone that thought “I wish I could ride a bike, but I can’t afford to own one outright!” What is it that I’m missing?

AmandaKH June 11, 2015 (9:06 am)

The more I think about this the madder I get. They are adding South Seattle College into this as a supposed “equity” thing. But where do they think the people who attend SCC live? North Admiral? The areas they are going to service are areas where people already own bikes. This Pronto service is not about servicing a need, it’s about making money. This is about “choice” riders, and about profits. For $75,000, we could buy a ton of utility type bikes and have free stations all over the place. For $5,000,000, we could buy every adult in West Seattle a bike.

answer June 11, 2015 (9:15 am)

Some people lease cars rather than pay up front, do they not?

Some people pay mortgages rather than cash purchase, do they not?

Choices of economic necessity or preference, dude. Simple.

No Levy June 11, 2015 (10:30 am)

Thanks @AmandaKH for your point.
SDOT Director Kubly is corrupt to the core. His hand is in the cookie jar and he’s doling out our tax dollars to his old pals from the DC & Chicago bikeshare cartel.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/bike-sharing-contract-may-be-inside-job/Content?oid=6274245
And Mayor Murray wants to hand Kubly and his cronies a BILLION dollars of our money for his Gridlock Seattle Levy?!? Absurd. Time for Kubly to go – PRONTO!
No Levy
Zero Vision

Gifff June 11, 2015 (10:58 am)

This sounds very expense. I’ve owned ebikes. They do make getting up the hills easier but they some more care than traditional bikes. There is the charging of the batteries, the batteries themselves are expensive and eventually die and they are heavy. You would not want to peddle an ebike with a dead battery up to SSCC or anywhere else.

You would also have possibly more problems with theft. More expense parts that can be resold on an ebike.

I know things cost more than I think but it seems there should be more productive ways to spend $10,000,000.

Alan June 11, 2015 (12:28 pm)

I am wondering how well they studied the need at SSC, since they described the closest bus stop as being on Delridge. That is certainly true at times, though no longer during the day on Saturday and Sunday. I shudder to imagine these bikes, especially with riders that don’t normally ride, climbing the hill on 23rd from Oregon St., or rounding the corner on Dawson to 16th.

I would prefer to see this money be used to improve the bus service to the college. By “improve”, I mean to get it back to what it was before the cuts.

NoThanks June 11, 2015 (2:32 pm)

Having just tried this for the first time, I’d prefer if it didn’t. The bike I was on wasn’t really well maintained, manifesting itself in having non-functional brakes. My shin and the car I rear ended really would have appreciated those.

AceMotel June 11, 2015 (2:55 pm)

@AmandaKH and @No Levy, exactly. Now we’re getting at the truth.

Native June 11, 2015 (3:23 pm)

Unless, bike lanes are separated from moving motor vehicles, it’s not safe to have this roll out city wide. Bikers will lose every time against motorized vehicles. Even if everyone is following the rules, accidents happen. Currently, bike run lights and stop signs, and cars run red lights, stop signs. recipe for disaster, lawsuits, etc.

rob June 11, 2015 (4:15 pm)

with all the things in seattle that are broken and need fixing how can city officials justify buying new toys. I don’t get it

Kathy June 12, 2015 (1:30 am)

Yes the bikes are adjustable the seat goes up and down, the seat post has numbered markings, so you remember your number and can adjust it to your size with the flip of a lever. If you get one with faulty brakes or any other maintenance problem, you return it to the station and press the service button and it will be taken out of service for repair.

This plan to extend the bike share service area is an attempt to address the lack of frequent local bus access to frequent and rapid transit. Bike stations need to be located so they connect popular destinations and densely populated areas (like a college, or a restaurant strip, or commercial hub) to a bus rapid/frequent transit corridor, like Delridge is planned to be. I think SDOT should promote the use of Delridge/Juneau/Croft/21st Ave/Myrtle/16th as the lowest traffic and least steep bike route to connect Delridge with SSC. The slope on Croft is gentle enough you wouldn’t even need an e-bike. Better yet, if they could create a lighted bike trail through Sanislo playfield instead of Myrtle, the route would be even less steep. I don’t think people on this thread should be snubbing their noses at anything that might expand our choices for getting around and into and out of the peninsula. Isn’t mobility what WSTC is supposed to be about? That day of the nine hour traffic jam (was it the overturned fish?) Pronto day rentals increased 380% over normal, people ditched their cars and used bike share to get to the Water Taxi when the entire city was gridlocked. Giving people more reasonable options to leave their car at home (like a 10 minute bike ride instead of waiting 30 minutes for a bus connection) will make more room on the roads for those who choose to drive their car. And if this expansion is successful, bike share could be extended to a wider area in the future. You have to stop thinking of bike share as a way to give cheap bikes to people. It’s an extension of the public transportation system, making it more useful for all. By all means, if you have a recommendation for an area where a bike station would be useful for extending transit trips to an underserved destination, submit it to SDOT. But it has to be a destination with many potential users, not your personal home address. And keep submitting it, because the squeaky wheel….

Sorry, comment time is over.