WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Adaptive cycling demonstration on Alki Point Healthy Street

| Transportation | West Seattle news

For the second consecutive summer, Outdoors for All has brought adaptive-cycling alternatives to the Alki Point Healthy Street area – Beach Drive along Constellation Park – for free tryouts. They’re there today until 2 pm, with equipment meant to facilitate riding for people with disabilities or other challenges such as balance issues. The organization describes its year-round fleet as follows:

· Handcycles for individuals with limited or no leg movement

· Recumbent and therapy trikes for those who need more stability

· Hand and foot powered cycles for children

· Tandem cycles for individuals who want a guide while riding

· Standard 2-wheeled bicycles and Striders

For today’s event, no RSVP needed – just show up!

WSBikeNerd June 9, 2024 (12:54 pm)

Very cool.

Alkistu June 9, 2024 (1:06 pm)

On a beautiful summer like day in late spring it is wonderful to see this street turn into an open space where all can enjoy. This Outdoors For All event demonstrates the value of this street improvement. I ride through here every day to work and have observed the positive change toward a feeling of comfortability that provides an iconic vista , open space for so many more people of all abilities. Thanks OFA, Taylor, Donald and the crew for opening the eyes of those who were afraid of this change.

CarDriver June 9, 2024 (2:04 pm)

Interesting that all the positive comments about all these street “improvements” come from people who don’t live in the affected area. Note: I live close enough that when I want to go to that section of Beach Drive I always walk. I have NEVER had an issue going past a pedestrian on the sidewalk and while I’ve been there I’ve never seen a bike rider or pedestrian negatively impacted by a vehicle The changes there simply strike me as a government agency needing to spend money on “something”

Hoom June 9, 2024 (10:47 pm)

Interesting complaint that everyone celebrating lives elsewhere — the previous line of attack was that this was all meant to benefit millionaires living on the street at the expense of visitor.
- CarDriver June 10, 2024 (5:23 am)
  
  Hoom. My point being it’s RARELY residents of the street affected that celebrate these “enhancements” but others that come-most by car to utilize
Bbron June 9, 2024 (11:42 pm)

how much did this cost?
Jenna S June 10, 2024 (10:55 pm)

&CarDriver I also live close enough to walk to this part of the street and I can directly contradict your personal sample-of-one anecdote. This street was extremely unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists prior to the Healthy street designation. It’s far better now and the protected path is another step towards a safer street. If you want more cars and parking i understand but please don’t pretend this street was safe for everyone else just because you’ve never had an issue.
- Alki Local June 11, 2024 (12:56 am)
  
  Jenna, I also live nearby and 100% agree with you. The sidewalk is too narrow to fit more than one person walking each direction. Too often I and/or my husband had to walk in the street, and around parked cars and then watch out for traffic because of oncoming pedestrians filling the width of the sidewalk. Now parents with double-wide baby strollers along with their dog, like I saw yesterday, have plenty of room to take in the sites without oncoming walkers having to figure out how to get around them.
- G June 11, 2024 (5:50 pm)
  
  I also live down the street and I love the changes. The sidewalk was too narrow. Now everyone can walk the sidewalks in summer without taking in exhaust from cars running for no good reason, or secondhand smoke of all kinds.

Kathy June 9, 2024 (2:29 pm)

Those hand operated tricycles are great for working your upper body. Something riding a regular bike does not give you. Thanks, Outdoors for All for the chance to try one.

Don Brubeck June 9, 2024 (3:42 pm)

Outdoors for All is a great organization. Glad to see their visit to
Alki Point and lots of happy folks trying out the bikes. I’ve used one
of their tandem trikes with a blind friend and we had such a good time.
Also saw the Beach Naturalists and the low low tide, with lots of
people exploring the beach and walking and biking. AND plenty of
unrestricted car parking available despite all the spaces occupied by
Outdoors for all. The tide fell. The sky did not.

ADA observer June 9, 2024 (6:08 pm)

We went by at around 1pm and had to park several blocks away due to the lack of nearby parking (ADA or not). My dad, who has really enjoyed adaptive cycling in the past and has long been disabled, would not have been able to make the walk needed to get anywhere close. Was pretty bummed that an “accessible” event was anything but.

Reed June 10, 2024 (7:33 am)

So circle the block and have some patience for a spot to open up.
Puget Sound Perspective June 10, 2024 (10:42 pm)

So a car driver interested in adaptive bikes for a disabled family member to ride is advocating to get rid of a protected bike lane so there’s more room for cars and parking? Next thing you know wildlife activists will be lobbying for more cars and parking to drive, pollute and emit toxins on a street directly beside the habitat the wildlife they’re trying to protect. What a country. Fight change (of any kind)!

GreenLakesLover June 10, 2024 (10:47 am)

Yes this was a cool thing and they were very cordial and helpful. But I wonder how accurate these no parking comments are? Whenever I looked throughout the day several spaces were available. Perpetuating a myth of no access discourages attendance which ultimately does not serve the public interest.

WSTC Boardmember June 10, 2024 (3:32 pm)

At this point, opponents are just getting about as tiring as MAGA-hats on political issues.@CARDRIVER insists that they “have NEVER had an issue going past a pedestrian on the sidewalk” and have “never seen a bike rider or pedestrian negatively impacted by a vehicle.” Yet a number of people have specifically said in previous blog posts or other feedback to SDOT that they have personally experienced these problems — particularly people who use wheelchairs and people with families.@ADAOBSERVER states “We went by at around 1pm and had to park several blocks away due to the lack of nearby parking (ADA or not).” l’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, the Blog’s photo above in the mornings shows 4 or 5 cars and lots of OPEN parking spaces. And I was personally there a little after 2pm — and also saw plenty of parking spots available on the street — especially the ADA spaces, which I took pictures of.

Alki-er June 10, 2024 (10:27 pm)

I was there around 11:30. Sunny weekend, low tide, naturalists and adaptive cycling crew out and about…should have been a pretty peak usage moment. There were still lots of open parking spots on Beach Drive. The Director of SDOT was also down there, asking people what they thought about the reconfiguration and watching the parking situation. I also noted ADA parking spaces in places where people have been claiming they do not exist. I am not disabled, and I have a feeling that for folks who are, it’s probably a never-ending struggle to get around in the world. I can’t pretend to know what that feels like. But just as a strict statement of fact, there are ADA parking spaces at various places along Beach Drive.

Sorry, comment time is over.