Earlier this year, CHS reported that the Seattle Department of Transportation was looking for additional Capitol Hill locations for its on-street bike racks. As part of the announcement of this pictured new on-street rack in Wallingford, SDOT has confirmed our report that one new rack will be installed on Melrose Ave in front of the soon-to-be Homegrown Sandwiches and the rest of the Melrose Market tenants and revealed a second location for a new Capitol Hill rack.
Fish Rack installation 002
Originally uploaded by SDOT Photos
SDOT’s second new rack will soon be added on the corner of 12th Ave and E Pike. The announcement, below, doesn’t specify which corner of the intersection is getting the rack — could be Boom Noodle, Chao Bistro or the other two corners. Also no word from SDOT whether we get the fishy designs or another set of car-styled racks like the one currently in place in front of Cafe Presse. UPDATE: Via Twitter, @nwfilmforum says:
Pretty sure that rack will adorn the sidewalk close to NW Film Forum’s door! Can’t wait. Love the fish, maybe next time a camera?
We also reported on some of the difficulties SDOT faced finding Hill businesses willing to have the on-street racks in front of their stores, cafes and restaurants. An on-street rack in front of the Broadway Market QFC was removed late last year because of what an SDOT spokesperson called ‘low usage.’
Meanwhile, in other 12th Ave related news, Capitol Hill Housing is seeking input on what kinds of stores people would like to see developed in the area. Learn more about the 12th Ave retail survey here.
SDOT Lands a Big Fish
SEATTLE – What kind of fish is 18 feet long, 5 feet wide and can only be found on Seattle streets? Answer: the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) new fish-shaped bike rack. On Thursday morning, June 10, at 10 a.m. the department will install one of these unique bike facilities in Wallingford on the northeast corner of N 34 th Street and Woodlawn Avenue in front of the Essential Baking Company.
The unusual bicycle rack takes the place of one motor vehicle parking space while accommodating on-street bike parking for 14 bicycles and increasing sidewalk space for pedestrians by moving the bike rack off the sidewalk. In 2009, SDOT installed a car-shaped bike rack on 12 th Avenue near Spring Street in front of the Café Presse and Stumptown Coffee. The rack has been very popular.
“Having the on-street bike rack out front is great for everyone,” said Jim Drohman, chef and owner of the Café Presse. “The loss of a single parking space has not been an inconvenience, the rack is full most of the time and we have heard a lot of positive feedback on its design.” He added that he’d love to get another rack nearby.
With funding from the Bridging the Gap transportation initiative, SDOT will install more of the on-street fish and car motif bike racks in neighborhoods around Seattle in the coming months, including racks on the corner of 12th Avenue and E Pike Street and on Melrose Avenue between Pike and Pine Streets. This program addresses the expanding need for bicycle parking and is part of the ongoing implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan, which seeks to triple the number of people bicycling in Seattle over ten years.
Installation is typically requested by the adjacent business owner when there is a high demand for bike parking and insufficient sidewalk space to accommodate that need. For more information or to request bicycle racks in your neighborhood, please contact the Seattle Department of Transportation at (206) 684-7583 or [email protected] .
