We’re excited to introduce you to our new protected bike lane sweeper!
The new sweeper is a mini version of our street sweepers and is designed to fit perfectly in our protected bike lanes. When it’s in action, it removes debris that might pose a hazard to people riding bikes and scooters and will make it easier for us to help you have a safe and enjoyable ride. Plus, it’s adorable.
There’s just one problem…we don’t know what to call it! “Protected bike lane sweeper” is kind of wordy. We need your help to give the sweeper a name!
Think you have what it takes to sweep the competition?
- Go to Twitter, retweet or reply to our #NameThatSweeper post with your name ideas by April 30, 2021.
- Use #NameThatSweeper and tag @seattledot to help us spread the word.
- We’ll select our favorite submissions and put it to an online vote in May.
If you win, you get bragging rights for naming Seattle’s most adorable sweeper (although WSDOT’s Broom Hilda is pretty cute too). Plus, we’ll give you a special opportunity to get your picture taken with the sweeper!
It’s your chance to make a sweeping statement and have a brush with fame.
Guidelines:
- Don’t violate copyright laws.
- More than one entry per person is allowed.
- Any inappropriate or offensive tweets will be disqualified.
- If the same name is submitted more than once, the first person to submit gets the credit.
Brush up on your knowledge:
Before we got the sweeper, our crews had to clear bike lanes manually without machinery, which took a long time. Now, the new sweeper will help us cover more ground and get the job done more efficiently. It’ll be especially helpful in late fall when the leaves start falling, during spring when cherry blossoms are everywhere, and after windstorms when debris clutters the bike lanes.
The sweeper is the perfect size to fit within the constraints of our protected bike lanes. It may be small, but it’s mighty! It holds approximately 1.5 tons of debris and will be in service several times per week. The sweeper even has a license plate that allows operators to drive it to protected bike lane locations around the city instead of having to use another vehicle to transport it.
You won’t catch the sweeper speeding, though! Its top speed is 25 MPH, which is the speed limit on most major roads in Seattle. Learn more about how we’ve reduced speed limits to support Seattle’s long-term Vision Zero initiative to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030.
Our vision is to make riding a bicycle a comfortable and integral part of daily life for people of all ages and abilities in Seattle.
It’s more important than ever to #FlipYourTrip and get around car-free (if you can). Just ask Seattle’s favorite SpokesSalmon, Sal! Choosing to walk, roll, bike, scoot, or take public transit instead of driving alone is an easy way to do something good for yourself, your city, and your planet.
To help you #FlipYourTrip, we’re creating a robust, multimodal transportation system that gives people options and provides safe alternatives to driving alone. Building and maintaining a connected bike network for people of all ages and abilities is key to our recovery in 2021 and beyond, while fighting the climate crisis.