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.