Hub & Spoke Revamped: First Stop Wenatchee

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This marks the third year that the Bicycle Alliance of Washington has conducted its Hub & Spoke outreach tour, so we decided to revamp the format a bit.  In addition to the popular bicycle meet up format, we added a half-day workshop – Growing Biking and Walking in Your Community.

We launched the 2012 tour with a visit to Wenatchee in March.  Community planners, school representatives, PTA members and citizen advocates joined us for the workshop.  We reviewed the characteristics of a livable community, then honed in on what makes a place inviting to bicyclists and pedestrians.  We examined challenges and how different solutions might be applied.

Photo by Andy Goulding

Patrick Walker, transportation planner for the Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council, led us on a walking tour of the business district.  He showed us an awkward trail connection and we discussed ways to improve it.  We looked at some challenging intersections and shared ideas on how to make them safer.  Patrick also showed us the spot in downtown where Wenatchee’s first on street bike corral will be installed.

We returned to our meeting room and shared ideas for encouraging people to bike and walk more.  These included Bike to Work Day, walking school buses for children, and open streets events.  We wrapped up the workshop with a discussion of tools and resources that communities can use to grow biking and walking.

After the workshop, we gathered at the Saddle Rock Pub for a bicycle social hour.  We were joined by members of the local bike club and bike advisory board, bike advocates, and members of the Transportation Improvement Board—who were holding a meeting nearby. Special thanks to Patrick Walker who helped us with logistics and planning for both events.

The Hub & Spoke tour continues with a visit to Vancouver in June.  Stay tuned to our blog, website or social media channels for details.

Wenatchee Workshop in March: Growing Biking & Walking in Your Community

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Imagine a place where kids can safely walk and bike to school, where children play kickball in their neighborhood street, where families can bicycle to the library or neighborhood park.  Imagine a community where drivers don’t speed down a residential street and intersections are designed so your elderly neighbor can safely cross the street.

Growing Biking & Walking in Your Community is a half-day workshop being presented on March 22 at the North Central Regional Library in Wenatchee by the Bicycle Alliance of Washington.  The workshop is offered through our Hub & Spoke outreach program. 

The workshop aims to arm citizens with the tools and resources needed to reclaim neighborhoods for biking and walking.  Highlights include an overview on why biking and walking are essential ingredients for a healthy community, examples of challenges and possible solutions, tools and resources available, and a walking tour to assess community possibilities.  Ian Macek, WSDOT Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator, and Patrick Walker, Transportation Planner for the Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council, will be on hand to lend their insights and knowledge.

"It's an exciting time to bring this workshop to the Wenatchee Valley," said Bicycle Alliance Executive Director Barbara Culp.  "Citizens are currently engaged in shaping a regional bike master plan and this is an opportunity to build on that momentum."

This is the first year that the Bicycle Alliance has incorporated a workshop in its Hub & Spoke schedule.  

"Attendees at past events expressed interest in community workshops and we are responding to that request," explained Culp.  "We are still keeping the social networking element in our Hub & Spoke program," she added.

There is no charge for the workshop but space is limited.  Use this link to register for the workshop.  There will be a social meetup at the Saddle Rock Pub & Brewery following the workshop from 5-7pm.

Should the Ride of Silence be silent?

It began in 2003 as a bike ride in Dallas to remember a cyclist who was hit by a mirror on a passing school bus and killed.  Today it has evolved into an international event, with 250 rides scheduled in nearly 20 countries.

The Ride of Silence was created to remember cyclists who have been killed or injured on our roadways, to raise public awareness that bikes belong on our roads, and to encourage everyone to share the road.  This year's ride occurs on May 18 and five Washington communities are hosting Rides of Silence:  Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Wenatchee.  Ride details can be found on the ROS website.

Thousands of bicyclists are drawn to this somber ride because they know someone who has been killed or injured on our public roads, or they themselves have been injured by a vehicle collision.  I have ridden several Rides of of Silence--to remember friends who were killed and to remember my own collision with a vehicle.  It can be an emotional experience. You can view a video of a past Ride of Silence in Seattle.

In spite of its popularity, not all cyclists are comfortable with the Ride of Silence.  Some believe that it places too much emphasis on the dangers of riding a bike.  Others don't like the fact that participants are supposed to ride in silence--how can you educate curious onlookers and passing motorists why you're doing the ride if you must be silent?  (If you watch the video of the Seattle ride, you'll see one of the riders speak to a pedestrian--no doubt explaining what the Ride of Silence is.)

Some Ride of Silence organizers have chosen trails and residential streets as their ride routes.  Again, this seems to undermine the visibility and public awareness potential of the ride.  It also doesn't speak to the bicyclists' right to use public roads.

Have you ridden in a Ride of Silence?  How do you feel about this event?

Create a Bicycle Friendly Wenatchee

Bicycle friendly communities don't just happen. It takes public planning, citizen support, political will, funding and engineering.

The Wenatchee Valley  Transportation Council is developing a Metropolitan Bicycle Master Plan for the communities of Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Sunnyslope. They are seeking input from area cyclists to identify how and where people currently ride, as well as where they would like to ride but can't for whatever reason. This information will be used to create a regional bicycle network.

If you are a Wenatchee Valley bike rider, please take a few minutes to complete the online bike survey. Your participation and support of the Bicycle Master Plan can improve the bikeability of the region.