SE 7th in Portland, are also being installed
in Seattle.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Portland isn’t the only city in the region to go green for bikes. The Seattle Department of Transportation installed that city’s first green bike lanes earlier this week.
According to a press release from SDOT, green bike lanes were laid out in two locations on Tuesday (5/6) and additional locations are slated for installation today.
In an interview on KUOW radio in Seattle this morning, SDOT spokesperson Megan Hoyt emphasized that the new markings are meant, “for drivers and cyclists.”
“We are trying to raise awareness, in two ways. One for the motorists who says what is this thing green. Oh that means someone might be next to me. And also to guide bicyclists to the place we’d like them to be at the intersection.”
In the same interview, David Hiller with the Cascade Bicycle Club specifically called out Portland’s success with the green lanes:
“The experience in other cities like Portland is that it has reduced conflicts at this point because it draws special attention to the bike facility, where there are weaving and turning movements. And just knowing that when I’m out there on the street, I’m a little bit more visible, you know always puts me at more ease.”
Funds for the the project came from Seattle’s Bridging the Gap transportation levy that was passed by voters last year.
It will be interesting to see how many other cities around the country begin to adopt green bike lanes.
— Audio stream of the KUOW.org segment.
— More on SDOT’s green bike lane program.