So a few weeks back, I explained why a streetcar would function better on 12th Ave compared to the Broadway alignment. Most people seemed to agree that this would be a much better route due to the opportunities it would provide for a healthy, lively community. But one worry I have heard repeatedly is that a streetcar down 12th would interfere with an integral bike corridor, connecting South Downtown to Capitol Hill. Its a legitimate worry. As anyone who bikes regularly knows, the SLUT tracks wreak havoc for those on two wheels. 12th Ave, with its well-marked bike lane and gradual slope, would be an irreplaceable route to lose.
But it is very important to understand that the problem with Westlake is a design flaw, not some inherent problem with sychronizing streetcars and cycling. In fact, many of the world’s most bike-friendly cities use streetcars as an essential part of their transportation infrastructure. Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and even Portland all use streetcars effectively without limiting accessability for bikers*. Here is an example from a street in Amsterdam:
Perhaps the most interesting item of note here is that the bike lane is raised from the street. This is because in most of Europe bikes are considered a form of soft traffic along with pedestrians. They have found that the risk of serious injury to citizens is much lower when bikers are with walkers instead of when bikers are with cars. Although a biker/walker collision might be painful and annoying, its almost never life-threatening. In addition, the added comfort provided to bikers significantly improves the accessability of cycling.
Well, its about time that we here in Seattle went a little Euro-style, and there’s no place better to start than on 12th Ave. Here’s a little self-made image representing how this might work out:
If I’m not mistaken the roadway here is 60ft wide. Vehicle lanes are typically 10ft wide and there would be four lanes of traffic, one car-only in each direction and one car/streetcar in each direction (grey and black). Instead of parking the sidewalk would be extended out another 10ft (blue and green) with your standard 5ft bike lane painted on top. Near the streetcar would be a 5ft section of pedestrian sidewalk for easy loading/unloading onto the rail line.
What I love about this design set up is that its really a benefit for everyone. Vehicles still have an extra lane to avoid traffic from left turns, pedestrians get a shorter crossing distance to walk across the street, and bikers get to relax a little and stop worry about car doors. Oh, did I mention there is also an awesome streetcar!
Now, I’m sure there are some challenges here that I’m overlooking and I would love for you all to point them out in the comments. But my main goal is simply to illustrate that through thinking a little differently about how we manage transportation, both streetcars and cyclists can thrive in the same corridor.
*Portland has had some issues with a recent Streetcar route but they are currently updating their Bike Master Plan and Streetcar Master Plan simultaneously in order to plan better in the future.
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So, integral to this design is no parking. Okay, sounds good, but will take paradigm shift. People have really gotta understand they aren’t in Burien any more. In Burien you move in a car everywhere, but you don’t get other cool stuff. (And of course, this doesn’t mean no parking on all the side streets around 12th, but I think the trend is less parking available ratio for population number.)
That lack of on-street parking isn’t just a loss for drivers, though, but also provides no visual or aural buffer between the pedestrian and automotive lanes.
Now if that streetcar lane was grass, and the sidewalk gets trees…
You know I never understood how parked cars were some kind of buffer from moving cars. Parked cars always just seem like an ugly wall that prevents me from interacting with the entire street. Anyway, trees and grass sounds great! The pedestrian buffer for streetcar load/unload could have some trees and landscaping at parts not directly at the stops. Greenery under the streetcar is something I’m all for, but I got rid of the parking, didn’t know if I should go for another lane of traffic too :)
Interesting photo. I wonder if wayward pedestrians would be a big problem in a raised bike lane here. My impression of Northern Europe is that pedestrian discipline is taken very seriously. Old German ladies will yell at you for jaywalking or walking in a bike lane. Might have to import some to make this work (apologies for stereotypes)!
Interesting idea! I’d especially love to see parking spots used to better effect on heavily-walked streets like 12th.
I don’t quite follow your picture. Is the blue lane labeled “sidewalk” meant to be a buffer, while pedestrians are intended to walk where today’s sidewalk is?
From a bicyclist’s point of view it’s probably an improvement from today, as it gets rid of the risk of being doored by a parked car. Left turns are a bit difficult though, as you have to cross the tracks at a sharp angle, straighten out as you merge into traffic, then make a left turn.
And I’d feel vulnerable to cars turning right across the bike lane: I suppose they would merge into the streetcar lane, then right turn across the bike lane and crosswalk? The streetcar lane emphasizes that a right turn involves a merge through other traffic and provides an incentive for the drivers to check, but the separation makes it hard for cyclists to monitor traffic behind them.
But it’s a good idea, and it’s better than how Westlake turned out!
Word! Nay on the streetcar lane being shared with cars, yay on the streetcar lane being grassy http://theoverheadwire.blogspot.com/2009/04/grass-track-on-t. Maybe it could be moss and native crawler to do without the sprinkler system.
That blue part would only be needed at stops, so the rest of the time it could be more mossy/creeping native territory.
Also, you could probably shave off a couple feet from the streetcar width. Not sure how wide the streetcars are but I bet an 8′ ROW would work.
I think the 12th alignment is a terrible idea and supplants the original intention of the route. However, I will note that new streetcar routes will likely have streetcars in the center lanes rather than the outer lanes to avoid interacting with bicyclists. Separated bike lanes like you suggest are a good idea, too.
Actually, Josh is right, the streetcars, whether on Bway or 12th (south of Madison) will not be in the center lane. Streetcars and Light Rail are different this way. Typically, if the alignment is on one street (Broadway for example) it will run north on one side and south on the other, taking advantage of the trolley wires above. One of the advantages to the “Broadway and 12th Loop” concept being talked about is that it is half as much disruption to each street (i.e. north on 12th and then back south on Broadway, after cutting over on Pine or John). So, half as much parking lost half the utility relocation, yet the same amount of track laid. This could make it cheaper, less disruptive to businesses and faster to build, hopefully concepts that will emerge in the impending study phase. We need businesses to weigh in on this, because parking is very important to them.
What’s up with this sadomasochistic obsession to bicycle on major arterials next to vehicles that are 3 times larger and faster and harder to stop??
In many large cities, except this one, there are designated routes for different modes of transportation… Why have an infrastructure where different modes are in conflict with each other?? There are a lot of parallel residential streets where bicycling can be much safer and does not create so much conflict.
The street car is ok, but as long as it is efficient(i.e. has designated right of way so it can go faster then vehicles). I can care less about rich-old-money white hippie bicyclists in these challenging economic times. People in crisis do not bicycle next to buses and trucks in the rain and inhaling all that carbon monoxide. Enjoy your hobbies on residential streets please! Enough!