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A Vibrant Seattle Through Transportation Excellence.

The plan to make bike share work better for everyone.

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Parked bike share on 5th Avenue, Seattle. Photo by Jeanne Clark.

 

We released our Q2 2019 Bike Share Report today, which shows that people took nearly 900,000 trips on Lime & Jump bikes in the first half of 2019. 

 

We’re excited that so many people are embracing bike share as a healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around. We also need to address the problem of improperly parked bikes which are left blocking sidewalks and creating barriers for people with disabilities.

 

Improperly parked bike share bikes blocking sidewalk access. Photo by Jeanne Clark.

 

We want the bike share program to be successful, & to do that we must have a program that makes it easier for all groups of people to travel safely. 

 

To address the problem of bikes creating obstacles for residents with disabilities, we’re building 1,500 more bike parking spaces by the end of the year, improving education about correct bike parking, and holding bike share companies accountable for where their bikes are parked.  

 

Here’s the right way to park a shared bike: read a blog post & watch a video. 

 

We’re over halfway to building 1,500 new bike parking spaces this year. 

 

Newer bike share parking installed on Alki.

 

At the start of 2019, there were parking spaces for about 10,000 bikes in Seattle and we announced a plan to build 1,500 more spaces by the end of the year. We’re over halfway to this goal and have built parking for over 830 bikes as of August 16.  

 

We’ve built over two-thirds of these bike parking spaces in the street, mostly in areas near crosswalks with “No Parking Within 30 Feet” signs. This takes advantage of space that isn’t currently being used and helps keep the sidewalk clear so everyone can get around. It also enhances safety by preventing cars from parking illegally in a way that blocks other drivers view of oncoming traffic and people crossing the street.  

 

We need everyone to their part to park bikes the right way.

 

Bike share parking installation locations from January 1 to June 30, 2019.

We’re optimistic that most people want to do the right thing but might not realize the right way to park a shared bike or the harm that they can cause by parking bikes carelessly.

 

To help get the word out, we teamed up with Disability Rights Washington and with Rooted in Rights to create a video showing how real people are affected when bikes are left blocking the sidewalk.  

 

At our suggestion, Jump and Lime emailed the video to every bike share customer in Seattle. So far, the video has been watched by over 50,000 people.  

 

We’re holding bike share companies accountable. 

 

While we’re confident that getting the word out and building more bike parking will help, we also need bike share companies to do their part as well.  

 

 

One way that we’re keeping companies accountable is by conducting neighborhood audits to measure how bikes are parked. This Spring, we found that 2% of bikes were parked in a way that violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and that 17% of bikes were parked in ways which could block access for people with disabilities under a stricter and more comprehensive standard we adopted earlier this year. This is based on audits conducted between April through June.  

 

In order to keep bike share companies in compliance with their permit requirements, we recently notified Lime & Jump that we’re reducing the maximum number of permitted bikes to about 4,500 each (about 2000 less than originally allowed). 

 

People who are blind sometimes use the walls of buildings to get around. It’s really important that we keep the sidewalk, from the edge of buildings to the “planting strip” clear.

 

Neither company had deployed the maximum number of bikes, so they won’t need to remove bikes from city streets but this does limit how much they can expand their fleets until they take steps to reduce the number of improperly parked bikes. Our goal is to keep sidewalks clear and accessible for everyone and to encourage bike share companies to take stronger action to address this problem.  

  

Since we notified Lime & Jump, both companies have committed to taking new steps to improve bike parking.

 

Lime has launched a team of people who will help educate customers and move problem bikes to keep sidewalks clear. Jump is taking steps to encourage customers to lock their bike to a rack at the end of a ride. We’re excited and optimistic that both companies are trying innovative strategies to address the problem, and will continue to keep a close eye on the results. 

 

If we see positive progress then we’ll consider restoring the maximum fleet size. This will allow us to grow a robust bike share program which makes it easier for people of all abilities to get around Seattle.  

 

Correctly parked bike share.

 

Thank you to everyone who has been doing your part. We need the bike share program to work for everyone.

 

Many aspects of the bike share program have been successful and are benefiting a lot of people, and we’re optimistic that we’ll be able to work collaboratively with the bike share companies to address parking challenges. We know that most people in Seattle really want to do the right thing, and are thankful for everyone who is already doing their part by parking bikes considerately so that everyone can have an easier time getting around Seattle.  

 

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Don’t Blend In

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Mother and children walking across the street with crosswalk flags.

Smith Family. Photo credit: Tariqa Waters

Commuters watch out for our neon friends!

Seattle’s highest collision corridor occurs on Rainier Avenue South. On average, Rainier Avenue South sees one crash per day that takes 45 minutes to clear.

 

 

Why Rainier Valley?

Rainier Valley is home to some of Seattle’s most culture-rich and diverse residents and schools. Rainier Valley’s Safe Street project “Don’t Blend In” safety awareness campaign seeks to empower youth and communities of color throughout Rainier Valley with a creative campaign to share safety and mobility information and build awareness. Special thanks goes to NONWHITEWORKS for their vision and support of this campaign emphasizing communities of color and safety in Rainier valley. The campaign was funded by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

 

Community members cross the street on Rainier Ave. S.

Community members cross the street on Rainier Ave. S. Photo credit: Ishisaka

 

The campaign kicked off in early summer with community outreach events in Rainier Beach, Pioneer Square, and Columbia City that featured local performance and visual artists, button making, safety information and giveaways to community members, offering safety tips and increased awareness to commuters. In July, we sponsored posters and advertisements at Rainier Beach Light Rail Station, on Sound Transit Trains and King County Metro buses. In August, we sponsored two billboards along Rainier, with imagery targeting vehicle drivers. To conclude the campaign, we will be distributing custom “Back to School’ themed safety items and information to the community.

These efforts follow a collaborative process that was launched in 2014 to improve Rainier Avenue South, as part of Seattle’s Vision Zero initiative to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Vision Zero takes a three-pronged approach: smarter street design, targeted enforcement, and public engagement. We are in Phase 2 of the project and recently:

  • Added bus lanes
  • Optimized signal timing for better signal coordination
  • Added leading pedestrian intervals for safer pedestrian crossing
  • Repainted crosswalks so that they are more visible

Our upcoming work later in 2019 and in 2020 will continue to enhance access and safety through Rainier Valley.

 

 

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We’re studying the feasible rehabilitation & replacement options for the Ballard Bridge.

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Ballard Bridge northern bascule pier

 

We’re launching a planning study to assess the future of the Ballard Bridge.

 

The study explores feasible rehabilitation & replacement options & provides a comparison of associated costs & critical metrics, including community priorities.

 

While the study won’t recommend a preferred option, it’ll help us better understand, prioritize, and look for funding opportunities to reduce our maintenance backlog. The study is funded through the Levy to Move Seattle and will also inform our upcoming Ballard-Interbay Regional Transportation Corridor Study pending receipt of state funding.

 

Ballard Bridge circa 1957 (Seattle Municipal Archive)

 

We’re just getting started and plan to work closely with agency partners, modal advisory boards, and community members over the next six months.

 

To develop bridge options that incorporate the broad needs & values of the community & people using the bridge, our 1st step is surveying people on current & desired bridge use.

 

TAKE THE SURVEY! HERE!

Share your input on the future of the Ballard Bridge.

 

The survey will be open until Sunday, July 7.  This summer, we’ll host a public event sharing what we heard and how the study is being developed. Later in the year, we’ll return to have you compare and comment on the feasible options.

 

 

To receive project updates and stay informed about upcoming opportunities for community feedback, sign up for the Ballard Bridge Planning Study news.

 

We look forward to partnering with you!

 

Ballard Bridge facing East.

 

If you have questions, please contact the outreach team at BallardBridge@seattle.gov or 206.775.8894. Thank you for your interest in the Ballard Bridge Planning Study!

 

 

DON’T FORGET, TAKE THE SURVEY! 😉

 

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Travel Alert: 4th Ave S Road Repair

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Crews repair 4th Ave S pavement buckle

 

Crews will perform an interim repair at 4th Ave S near S Industrial Way on Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15. The interim repair will entail removing the steel plates placed during the emergency repair and constructing a full-depth asphalt patch in the damaged pavement area. The interim repair will provide a smooth pavement surface and allow crews time to prepare for the permanent concrete repair.

 

Here’s what you can expect:

 

4thAveS_Pavement

 

SCHEDULE

On Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15, crews will be repairing the pavement in asphalt. Work is being done over two separate days to avoid rush hour and to minimize lane reductions. Crews will complete a full concrete repair within 4-6 weeks.

Crews will perform work between 8 AM and 5 PM.

 

CLOSURE | DETOUR

Please travel carefully through the area. Speeds have been reduced to 10 MPH. There is still a noticeable bump. Drivers should plan ahead for lane reductions and delays and consider alternate routes.

 

NOISE

There will be noise impacts during sawcutting, excavation, and paving operations. These are typical impacts associated with almost all of our paving projects.

 

PROJECT OUTCOME

This work is to repair the pavement that was damaged during Wednesday’s heat wave. The temperature hit 95 degrees on Wednesday afternoon, and this caused significant damage to a section of pavement on 4th Ave S, just south of Industrial Way in the northbound lanes. The high temperatures caused materials embedded in the pavement to expand. This type of pavement failure is known as a blowup, buckle, or heat bump.

 

A BIG thank you to our teams for all of their hard work!

 

4thAveS_Equipment

 

SDOT staff worked on this project until late into the night. Our crews are really the ones who make these types of repairs happen, often under difficult circumstances. Since they are dispersed about our field offices, people don’t often see the critical work they do keeping the city running day-to-day.

 

Our Maintenance Operations team worked hard during the night to temporarily repair the damaged road to remove the parts of the buckled pavement and press the concrete slabs down. Then, they filled the area where pavement was removed with crushed rock, and they placed steel plates over the opening.

 

Our crew of signal engineers in our 24/7 Transportation Operations Center quickly alerted drivers of the closure through the @SDOTtraffic Twitter account (follow it if you don’t already!) and through providing alerts on dynamic messaging signs (DMS) in key locations.

 

We are so proud of our hardworking staff who do everything they can to keep people moving, no matter what time of day. We appreciate you!

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Building a connected Seattle bike network.

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Today, the Bicycle Master Plan (BMP) 2019 to 2024 Implementation Plan was delivered to City Council. 

 

It identifies projects and programs which, combined with existing facilities, will deliver a robust connected citywide bike network. Using a combination of protected bike lanes, trails, neighborhood greenways, and funding for bike parking, encouragement programs, and safety education, biking will be a healthy, affordable travel option for people of all ages and abilities.

 

 

“The number of people biking across Seattle is growing. That’s because the city continues to invest to connect Seattle by bike. This plan has a laser-sharp focus on fixing gaps that have long hampered the bike network – like closing the Burke Gilman Missing Link and completing much of the downtown Basic Bike Network,” said Vicky Clarke, Cascade Bicycle Club’s Policy Director.

 

“Building from the Levy Reset we appreciate the administration’s assurance to the community that the projects contained in this plan will advance. We’re glad to see the city has responded to community feedback to add bike connections to, and within, South East Seattle. Now we must act with urgency to find the funding for those overdue connections so that these neighborhoods can finally have equitable access to safe and affordable transportation options. We look forward to working together to do just that.”

 

Over the last 18 months, we’ve invested over $21M in bike infrastructure, including planning, design, & construction & installed 13 miles of new facilities & over 800 new bike parking spaces.

 

Read the BMP

We took a major step last year to create the nation’s largest permanent free-floating bike share program, which supported two million rides in 2018. In the last year, we saw bike ridership increase by 12 percent over 2017, and we were named the “Best Bike City” by Bicycling magazine. This year, we’ll deliver an additional 11 miles of bike safety projects.

 

Building on this effort, Mayor Jenny Durkan’s 2019 to 2024 Implementation Plan invests $76 million over six years making significant progress toward connecting our bike network, including 50 miles of new bike facilities and 29 miles and planning. The plan will transform how people move around Seattle, by completing the Center City Bike Network, delivering protected bike lanes with RapidRide H (Delridge) and RapidRide Roosevelt/Eastlake, increasing connections to future light rail stations, and completing the Missing Link of the Burke Gilman Trail.

 

“We are thrilled that this plan includes critical routes like Eastlake Ave, Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Beacon Ave S, the Georgetown to South Park Trail, Thomas St, and the downtown Basic Bike Network. We look forward to working with the mayor and city council to secure any additional funding that is needed to build these and other critical trails, neighborhood greenways, and protected bike lanes” said Gordon Padelford, Executive Director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways.

 

“We can, and must, be a city where people, of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds have the choice get to where they need to go by bike.”

 

Center City Bike Network map

Center City Bike Network map

 

In April, we presented a draft Implementation Plan to City Council.

 

While the plan’s budget hadn’t changed, the plan was developed in line with the comprehensive reassessment of the Levy to Move Seattle SDOT completed under the leadership of Mayor Durkan based on more realistic assumptions than we used in 2015. The Implementation Plan is intended to provide accountability for our continued investment in bicycle infrastructure and programs within existing committed resources while also identifying additional projects to be developed to a “shovel-ready” state. The Bike Master Plan is funded in large part by the Levy so we also worked with the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board and used the 2014 Bike Master Plan prioritization criteria, grant and partnership opportunities to reprioritize projects over the second half of the Levy.

 

New this year, we launched an online survey and hosted four café-style conversations in the north, central southeast, and southwest Seattle to gather input and confirm the plan meets people’s needs and values. We heard from over 350 people at our public meetings and through the survey and over 550 via emails. People shared the importance of safety, protecting the environment, and transparency in decision-making.

 

They’d like increased maintenance of facilities and increased wayfinding. They also highlighted expanding engagement to include the voices of all people impacted, communities of color, and people who might be new to biking. Now that the implementation plan is complete, we’ll incorporate these values and continue to engage community members in the planning, design, and construction of projects. We also worked to clean our protected bike lane network during Bike Everywhere Month in May.

 

One of four café-style conversations with Seattleites

One of four café-style conversations with Seattleites

 

This Implementation Plan reflects the communities desire and our commitment to fight climate change, support a multimodal transportation system that encourages the reduction of single occupancy vehicles, and supports Seattle’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate fatal and serious traffic collisions by 2030.

 

This plan includes projects that build crucial connections & were identified by the community as priorities.

 

The plan also addresses geographic inequities and prioritizes connections that serve communities located in Southeast Seattle.

 

New projects

Prior to finalizing the Implementation Plan, hundreds of people provided input and called for a southeast Seattle connection to downtown. As a result, we are advancing to construction a project on Martin Luther King, Jr Way S from I-90 to at least Rainier Ave S and to advance planning for a route along Beacon Ave from the Jose Rizal Bridge to S 39th We’re also prioritizing planning efforts to consider a Georgetown to Downtown route and completing a connection along 12th Ave from King St to Yesler Way.

 

Share benefits

The plan now shows when projects connect to transit, schools, community centers, and urban villages occur, as well as to existing bike facilities, or those planned for construction by 2024. We also acknowledge when a project routes through portions of the city that score in the upper regions of quartile of Seattle’s Race and Social Equity Composite Index.

 

Improve accountability

Expected costs and challenges such as agency coordination and parking impacts are listed, highlighting where additional effort may be required, or a project modified.

 

Seek new funding

While the plan builds out 50 miles of bicycle infrastructure over the next six years, additional projects are funded only into design or planning. We are recommitting to seeking additional revenue sources and grants to advance key connections to accelerate progress during the timeframe of the implementation plan.

 

Celebrating $16M to fund Pike-Pine Renaissance and bike improvements with SDOT, WA State Convention Center, Cascade Bicycle Club and Seattle Neighborhoods Greenways

 

Thank you! Join us for our presentation at City Council on June 18 at 2 PM or watch it online.

 

Keep a look out for our upcoming blog posts and as well as other communications to stay current with project updates. We truly appreciate your interest and participation in the 2019 – 2024 Implementation Plan.

 

 

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June 14 – 17: Repairing the Roadway Panels at Mercer St and Fairview Ave N

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Street Closed sign on Mercer St

 

Crews will be repairing the roadway panels on westbound Mercer St at Fairview Ave N this Friday, June 14 – Monday, June 17. Prepare for impacts to travel throughout the weekend.

 

Here’s what you can expect:

 

SCHEDULE

Work will begin on Friday, June 14 at 9 PM. Streets will reopen in time for the morning commute on Monday, June 17.

 

CLOSURE | DETOUR

Westbound Mercer St between I-5 and Boren Ave N will be closed, as well as the I-5 SB off-ramp to Mercer St. Use alternate routes and expect increased traffic at the I-5 SB off-ramps to Union St, Stewart St, and James St.

 

Drivers coming onto Mercer from NB I-5 will take a mandatory left to Fairview Ave N, where they will then be directed to Denny Way and then to Westlake Ave N.

 

Fairview Ave N will be open in both directions, and eastbound Mercer St to the I-5 on-ramps will remain open.

 

A uniformed police officer will be directing traffic at the intersection of Mercer St and Fairview Ave N throughout the weekend. Traffic engineers will be making signal adjustments on Mercer St to keep people moving.

 

Diagram of Mercer St Closure

 

NOISE

Expect loud noise and vibrations on Friday between 9 PM – 12 AM.

 

PROJECT OUTCOME

This work is to permanently restore the pavement that was damaged in the crane collapse on Saturday, April 27.

 

Want more information?

 

If you have any questions, please contact 206-684-7623 or 684-ROAD@seattle.gov. We appreciate your patience during this work.

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On our way to 1,500 new bike parking spaces this year!

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Bike parking on Alki, West Seattle

 

How people get around our city has changed. While Seattle continues to grow, so do all the options for getting around – including riding a bike. With more bike lanes being built and more people using bike share, Seattle needs additional spaces for people to park their bikes.

 

We began the year with about 10,000 bike parking spaces citywide, & a plan to build 1,500 more in 2019.

 

#SeattleDidYouKnow

Most of the bike parking spaces being built this year are

funded by our bike share program!

 

This plan is inspired by you.

 

People are our top priority. When it comes to your mobility, we’re focused on safety and accessibility. Because of this, we’re creating bike parking spaces in the street, next to crosswalks in the areas with “No Parking Within 30 feet” signs.

 

We’re taking advantage of space that isn’t currently used.

 

 

Cars are not allowed to park within 30 feet of many crosswalks because it forces other drivers to inch forward and block the crosswalk in order to see oncoming traffic and people crossing the street. This is a safety concern because drivers may start driving through the crosswalk while people are traveling through it.

 

But putting bike parking spaces here doesn’t block anyone’s view and actually improves safety for everyone. It lets us fit a lot more vehicles on the street (yes – bikes can be a type of vehicle) and helps keep the sidewalk clear.

 

Building bike parking on the street frees up sidewalk space for people of all ages & abilities to get around.

 

 

Installing bike parking in the curb space adjacent to crosswalks has a practical use and a public safety benefit. It ensures people driving, walking, and biking are visible to everyone.

 

And we’ve already gotten started!

 

If you haven’t noticed already, you’ll likely see more bike parking spaces popping up around town. We’ve added about 500 new bike parking spaces so far this year with a thousand more on their way.

 

Here’re the areas we’ve been focusing on so far:

 

  • The Central District
  • University District
  • Alki
  • West Woodland (AKA Frelard)

 

In June, we’ll be adding bike parking in:

 

  • South Lake Union
  • Rainier Beach
  • South Park

 

We want everyone who uses our transportation system, including people walking, biking, and driving, to have a safe trip!

 

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Notes from the road: sage advice from Seattle’s Safest travelers

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man smiling next to "Are you Seattle's Safest Driver" caption

This guy is definitely excited to be participating in Seattle’s Safest Driver.

 

We’re 3 weeks in to Seattle’s Safest Driver (our 8-week competition complete with prizes) and have some fun stories to share below.

But first, a call to action.

 

Get in the game – download today

If you haven’t yet downloaded the app, it’s not too late to get in on the competition. Join by June 9 to be eligible for the $5,000 grand prize, thanks to our sponsor, PEMCO Insurance. Plus, several more opportunities to win bi-weekly prizes. Also, quick sidebar: sooo many prize opportunities in June – have you taken the Ride Transit Month Pledge yet? Make it happen. Most of us are pretty darn multimodal – we might take transit one day, bike home another, drive, and are always walking somewhere. Remember: if you ride transit and/or bike, you can also win via Safest Driver.

Head to the App Store or Google Play, download, and drive safely. Then invite everyone you know to compete.

 

Bi-weekly prizes

Last week, we got to reward 8 folks for being the safest and least distracted drivers, and for riding transit and biking during the first 2 weeks of the competition. Yeah, those were fun emails to send. There are still several more opportunities to get in on that bi-weekly prize action, FYI. Shout out to our bi-weekly prize partners: car2go, Lyft, Uber, Lime, Zipcar, AAA Washington, Pacific Science Center, and Rachel’s Ginger Beer

 

Stories from the street

We’ve been in touch with participants who’ve reached out with questions and feedback, and wanted to highlight the experiences of a couple folks. Here are a few stories from the street, including some nuggets of sage wisdom, from some of Seattle’s safest travelers.

 

Sarah from Seattle

woman next to bicycle

Sarah, getting around Seattle by bike.

 

Sarah was a racker upper of the most bike trips for the first 2-week chunk of the competition. Here’s what she had to say about why she rides and why safety matters:

“I’m fortunate to be able to choose a car-free lifestyle, and I’m an advocate for increasing the number of ways people can get around the city. My hope is that drivers will put down their phones and pay close attention to their surroundings. Hand in hand with this, I feel that it’s incredibly important for people riding bikes to foster a safe and supportive environment in the cycling community.”

Couldn’t have said it better. Thank you, Sarah, for riding and for promoting safety on multiple levels.

 

Frank from Auburn

photo of man smiling

Frank, a commercial truck driver who drives in and out of Seattle on a daily basis and is scoring high marks.

 

Frank originally reached out to us with a question about the app. After some back and forths, he let us know a bit about him and his experiences with the competition. We appreciate his reflections, positivity, and willingness to share!

 

“I am a commercial truck driver, 90% of my deliveries are in downtown Seattle, so that by itself is a challenge.  I am currently at 124 trips, with a 99.9% accuracy. I have traveled over 1,325 miles. I hope to win so that I can take the experience back to my company as a model for our drivers around the country.

I can honestly say I wasn’t aware of how out of the loop I am with speed limits, including streets in my own neighborhood, and roads that I travel each day.  I can also say that now that I am aware and doing my best to abide by the speed limit, not many other people are. I have been honked at, flipped off, and I was illegally passed 3 times in no passing zones.  That was just a week and a half in.

It’s really been a great opportunity for me to fine tune my driving skills, as I truly did not realize how much improvement I needed.”

 

Thank you, Frank, for following the speed limit and sharing your story! Sorry you’re getting grief for it on the road. Reminder that all residential streets in Seattle are 20 MPH and all arterials are 25 MPH unless otherwise posted.

 

Scott from Seattle

Alaskan Way Viaduct demolition

Scott (don’t worry, he’s not taking a pic while driving) in his truck watching the viaduct come down.

Scott is a truck driver who just happens to be hauling bits of the viaduct away. He shares some great tips below, and we’re impressed with his safety record (!).

 

“This contest has been good for me. Learned a few things about Seattle drivers. I have over 3 million accident crash-free miles in 24 years of truck driving.  (Editor’s note: Scott said accident, but you know how we feel about that word – remember this video?)

Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. Don’t put yourself in a position to be late. When you’re late you make bad decisions and take chances that are not worth it. My dad taught me to drive as if I was a limousine driver – act like you have an egg between your foot and the gas pedal or the brake pedal. Soft pressure on the gas off pressure on the break, always give yourself room to stop, you’ll get better mileage, your passengers will feel better, and if you have a fishbowl with a goldfish in it you will not spill any water.”

 

Can we give it up for Scott’s dad’s tips?

 

Share your story

We love that people from around the region who drive, ride a bicycle, and take transit are participating in Seattle’s Safest Driver. Safer streets will take all of us working together! Want to share your story? Send us a note and a photo, if you’d like.

And don’t forget, it’s not too late to jump in. Download the Seattle’s Safest Driver app today and get in on the safe streets (and prize) action.

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A FREE Rainier Valley style & safety event w/Aramis Hamer

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Rainier Valley is a multifaceted collection of communities in southeast Seattle anchored together by Rainier Ave S. The community is home to some of Seattle’s most culture-rich and diverse residents and schools.

 

Rainier Ave S is also home to Seattle’s highest collision corridor.

 

On average, Rainier Ave S sees 1 crash per day that takes 45 minutes to clear. 

 

With a grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, we’re kicking off the Rainier Valley Safe Streets Project to engage communities of color and youth throughout Rainier Valley with a creative campaign to share safety and mobility information and build awareness. In 2014, we launched a collaborative process to improve Rainier Ave S as part of Seattle’s Vision Zero initiative to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. This year and next, we’re making improvements to make Rainier Ave S safer for everyone!

 

We want to change behavior that contributes to crashes within the community like speeding, distraction, impairment, and failure to yield to pedestrians. And we’re doing so by kicking off the project with a community event!

 

Join local artist, Aramis Hamer, as she leads activities, community artwork, and interactive art to empower and inform your travel behaviors.

 

 

Contact Mitchell Lloyd, Project Manager, for more details.

Mitchell.Lloyd@seattle.gov | 206.256.5378

 

 

 

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HEY, YOU! — YEA, YOU! SEATTLE’S SAFEST DRIVER 2.0 (launches 5/13)

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photo of woman with text: Are you Seattle's Safest Driver?

 

Think you’re Seattle’s safest driver? Prove it & win.

 

When it comes to traffic safety & moving toward Vision Zero, it’s about a culture change. It’s a shift from accepting accidents, to preventing crashes and making streets safer for everyone. This shift is going to take some big and small changes from public and private partners and from individuals like you – yea, you!

 

Seattle’s Safest Driver 2.0 launches on May 13, an app-based 8-week safe driving competition.

 

Get ready to download, play, and win in support of our Vision Zero efforts to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. All you have to do is head to the App Store or Google Play, download the free Seattle’s Safest Driver app, and drive (safely). Then invite everyone you know to compete.

 

We’re supportive of friendly smack talk in the name of safer streets, FYI.

 

 

Heads up! If you competed in our 2017/2018 competition (we heart you) and still have the app, you’ll need to get the latest version to be eligible for prizes. Once you download it, you can sign in as a returning user, or start fresh (with a different email address).

 

app screen images showing dashboard and trip summary

Using GPS and extensive math, the app tracks:

 

  • speeding,
  • harsh acceleration and braking, turning, and
  • phone distraction.

 

Be the best driver & you could win $5,000 – made possible by our partnership w/PEMCO Insurance.

 

You’ll compete for bi-weekly prizes, and if you join within the first four weeks of the competition (by June 9), you’ll be eligible to win the $5,000 grand prize, made possible by a continued partnership with PEMCO Insurance.

 

Yes, you read that right. $5,000 in cash money. Well, technically, we’ll hand you a giant fake check, then you’ll get a real check.

 

Exhibit A: here we are handing off a check to last year’s grand prize winner, Seattle resident Russell Lebert. Note last year’s grand prize amount. That’s right, this year’s grand prize is bigger (2.5 times bigger, to be exact). Sorry, Russell.

 

2018 Safest Driver winner being presented a giant check.

SDOT’s Allison Schwartz, Seattle’s Safest Driver 2018 Russell Lebert, and PEMCO’s Derek Wing are all smiles wrapping up a successful competition

 

It’s a regional competition! You don’t have to live in Seattle to compete!

 

This is a regional competition, open to residents of King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties, ages 17 and up. To be eligible for prizes, a portion of your drive trips must occur within the City of Seattle.

 

Don’t drive? This is a multi-modal competition!

 

The app also tracks transit and bike trips, and we’ll be offering bi-weekly prizes for folks in those categories as well. So, encourage your friends, family members, and co-workers to download the free app. You’ll be able to set up your own leaderboard to settle the age-old debate of who’s the better driver.

 

Turns out, the same technology that some folks are glued to (even while driving), when harnessed for good, can steer behavior the right direction.

 

We ran an initial contest in 2017/2018, engaging 4,000+ people in + behavior change.

 

Across the top 50% of users, we saw phone distraction drop 20% and speeding drop 16%. Distraction and speeding are two of the top contributing factors to crashes in most cities (up there with impairment and failure to yield to pedestrians), so we were excited to see these results.

 

summary of behavior change results

 

Perhaps even more exciting and impressive was what we saw with participants who began the app with a score of less than 90 (ahem, folks who had the most to gain in terms of behavior change). This group saw a 26% reduction in phone distraction and a 32% reduction in speeding, not just during the competition, but for 3 months after it as well. So, there were no prizes dangling in front of them, but they kept up the good work. Faith in humanity beginning to be restored.

 

With these positive results, we’re aiming to engage even more residents across the region in this safe driving competition.

 

 

Seattle may be one of the safest cities in the country but people are still driving distracted & speeding.

 

Seattle is one of the safest cities in the country. In fact, the company behind this app, Cambridge Mobile Telematics, has a city by city comparison and folks in the Seattle area beat out most of the other cities. But people are still driving distracted and speeding (among other things) – so there’s more we can and should do, and with your help, we can get there.

 

So, download, drive better & win.

 

Learn more at www.seattle.gov/safestdriver.

 

Special thank you to our primary sponsor, PEMCO Insurance, and our bi-weekly prize partners: car2go, Lyft, Uber, Lime, Zipcar, AAA Washington, Pacific Science Center, and Rachel’s Ginger Beer! Together, we’re making streets safer.

 

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