Bike Bellevue is the next step in improving the safety, connectivity and comfort of the bicycle network in the city. It builds on planning undertaken through the 2009 Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan, the 2016 Bicycle Rapid Implementation Program, the 2020 Vision Zero Strategic Plan and the 2022 Mobility Implementation Plan. These past efforts informed the council-approved project principles for Bike Bellevue.
Current status
At their April 11 meeting, the Transportation Commission recommended staff advance three corridors to final design and implementation in alignment with recent council direction. The three corridors are:
- Wilburton Route – 116th Avenue Northeast between Main Street and Northeast Fourth Street, Northeast Fourth Street between 116th Avenue Northeast and 120th Avenue Northeast and 120th Avenue Northeast between Northeast Fourth Street and Northeast Spring Boulevard
- Lake Washington Boulevard eastbound from 99th Avenue Northeast to 100th Avenue Northeast
- Northeast Second Street between Bellevue Way Northeast and 112th Avenue Northeast (Segment B)
At their May 23 meeting, the Transportation Commission recommended staff advance the Northeast Second Street between 100th Avenue Northeast and Bellevue Way Northeast corridor to final design and implementation as shared lane markings with traffic calming.
At their July 11 meeting, the Transportation Commission provided recommendations for five additional corridors.
- Northup Way from 120th Avenue Northeast to 140th Avenue Northeast. This corridor was divided into three segments for recommendations:
- From 120th to 124th Avenue Northeast – Explore narrowing vehicle travel lanes to provide a buffer to existing bicycle lanes.
- From 124th to 136th Avenue Northeast – Private-sector development would continue to build directional bicycle lanes as permanent infrastructure, incrementally, as development occurs, with public-sector projects to fill long-term gaps as needed.
- From 136th to 140th Avenue Northeast – For this segment of the priority bicycle corridor between Downtown and Overlake, prepare design options to achieve the intended level of traffic stress (LTS 1) per the Mobility Implementation Plan.
- Northeast 12th Street/Bel-Red Road from Northeast Spring Boulevard to 156th Avenue Northeast
- Commissioners voted to remove this corridor from further consideration, citing concerns about the safety of bicyclists along the corridor and an interest in maintaining capacity for vehicle travel.
- After this meeting, the Transportation Director determined that this corridor should be referred to the next update of the Transportation Facilities Plan for further analysis of options.
- 140th Avenue Northeast from Northeast 24th Street to Bel-Red Road
- Commissioners recommended to refresh existing lane markings and wayfinding, followed by an analysis of options to achieve LTS 1 on this priority bicycle corridor, with a connection to Spring Boulevard at Bel-Red Road.
At their October 10 meeting, the Transportation Commission recommended 98th Avenue Northeast from Northeast First Street to Northeast Eighth Street for consideration in the update of the Transportation Facilities Plan as an alternative to 100th Avenue Northeast. Community members who are interested in providing input to the Commission on the Transportation Facilities Plan may send an email to transportationcommission@bellevuewa.gov and/or attend the December 12 meeting where the TFP will be discussed.
Background
In a 2017 online questionnaire, 57% of respondents reported feeling unsafe riding a bicycle in Downtown, and 62% indicated they would ride a bike downtown more often if streets had safe and comfortable bike lanes. People bicycling and driving both reported feeling most comfortable traveling along bike lanes physically separated from the driving lanes.
In November 2022, the City Council adopted the 2023-2029 Capital Investment Program that includes the Growth Corridor High Comfort Bicycle Network Implementation (PW-W/B-85), also known as Bike Bellevue. It provides $4.5 million to design and implement rapid build bicycle infrastructure on existing streets in the Downtown, Wilburton and BelRed neighborhoods.
In March 2023, the council approved the Bike Bellevue project principles and directed staff to work with the Transportation Commission to prepare and submit an implementation recommendation to the Transportation Director. The Bike Bellevue initiative envisioned the implementation of low-cost, rapid build bicycle facilities on existing streets in the Downtown, Wilburton and BelRed neighborhoods. In most cases, a “low-cost, rapid-build” implementation of Bike Bellevue would have required the repurposing of vehicle travel lanes to provide the space for protected bicycle lanes.
In March 2024, in response to public input received since the start of the project, the council directed the Transportation Commission to develop a recommendation for each Bike Bellevue corridor consistent with a set of categories. They are:
- Corridors that would not require travel lane repurposing that the city would program and implement as soon as possible.
- Corridors that have an emphasis on creating connected routes for Bike Bellevue.
- If a travel lane is recommended to be repurposed, it will be first evaluated as a trial or demonstration project that will be evaluated using data that will be provided by the Transportation Commission, and recommend to repurpose a travel lane only as a last resort.
- Prioritize high injury network area corridors.
- Corridors that would be deferred to and incorporated into the next update of the Transportation Facilities Plan (2024/25) for citywide consideration, prioritization, and resource allocation.
- Corridors that would no longer be considered and provide a rationale as to why.
- Corridors that would be implemented as permanent bicycle infrastructure rather than with a rapid-implementation design.
Bike Bellevue DRAFT Design Concepts Guide
The DRAFT Design Concepts Guide supports the Transportation Commission’s evaluation of the corridor designs. The guide serves as the project reference document as staff coordinates with the public, community groups, businesses, institutions, and other agencies to ensure that Bike Bellevue supports the city’s land use and transportation vision.
Bike Bellevue DRAFT Design Concepts Guide, November 2023
Project principles
The council approved project principles are the Transportation Commission’s guide for Bike Bellevue.
Safety: Reduce the frequency and severity of crashes and minimize conflicts between roadway users through bikeway design.
Connectivity: Implement a connected network of bicycle lanes that facilitate access to major destinations.
Comfort: Design bicycle lanes that maximize separation between motor vehicles and people bicycling on streets with higher speed limits and more vehicle traffic.
Evaluation: Use a data informed approach to evaluate impacts to all modes of travel and design the program to maximize the mobility of all modes.
Coordination: Coordinate transportation and land use efforts underway in Bellevue to ensure equity and sustainability outcomes are aligned.
Partnerships: Pursue partnership opportunities to advance the implementation of bicycle projects.
Engagement: Engage community stakeholders in setting the priorities for Bike Bellevue investments.
Equity: Promote equity and inclusion in the development and delivery of bicycle projects.
Community meeting materials
- Transportation Commission (October 10, 2024): Agenda Memo, Bike Bellevue Presentation, Att1. Spring Boulevard, Emails to the Transportation Commission
- Emails to City Council and the Transportation Commission, April-August 2024: Part 1, Part 2
- City Council (August 6, 2024): Agenda Memo, Presentation
- Transportation Commission (July 11, 2024): Bike Bellevue Transportation Commission Agenda Memo, Bike Bellevue PPT
- Transportation Commission (June 13, 2024): Bike Bellevue Transportation Commission Agenda Memo
- Transportation Commission (May 23, 2024): Presentation Bike Bellevue Transition, Bike Bellevue Q&A Presentation from December 14, 2023, Staff memo (May 10, 2024) NE Spring Boulevard Zone 3, Bike Bellevue Transition PPT 20240523
- City Council (April 23, 2024): Memo
- Transportation Commission (April 11, 2024): Agenda Memo, Bike Bellevue February emails, Bike Bellevue March emails
- City Council (March 25, 2024): Agenda Memo, Bike Bellevue Project Area, CIP Project Description (PW-W/B-85)
- February and March Transportation Commission Correspondence: Emails and Letters
- Post December 14 Transportation Commission Correspondence: Emails and Letters not in support (December 8, 2023-January 31, 2024), Emails and Letters in support (December 8, 2023-January 31, 2024), Emails and letters requesting additional information (December 8, 2023-January 31, 2024)
- Transportation Commission (December 14, 2023): Agenda Memo, Project Principles, DRAFT What We Heard: Konveio Engagement Feedback for Bike Bellevue, Emails and letters supporting Bike Bellevue (11/9/2023 and 12/6/2023), Emails and letters opposing Bike Bellevue (11/9/2023 and 12/6/2023), Emails and letters requesting information (11/9/2023 and 12/6/2023), Staff responses to emails and letters (11/9/2023 and 12/6/2023), Draft Community Engagement Plan, updated, Focus Group and Stakeholder Interview Recruitment Flyer, Emails and letters supporting Bike Bellevue (12/7/2023 to 12/13/2023), Emails and letters opposing Bike Bellevue (12/7/2023 to 12/13/2023), Presentation
- Transportation Commission — Special Meeting (December 14, 2023): Meeting Materials, Presentation
- Eastside Easy Rider Collaborative (November 28, 2023): Presentation
- Transportation Commission (November 9, 2023): Agenda Memo, Project Principles, DRAFT Design Concepts Guide November 2023, Staff responses to emails between 9/25/2023 and 10/27/2023, Emails received between 10/24/2023 and 10/30/2023, Draft Community Engagement Plan, updated, Emails in opposition to Bike Bellevue received between 10/31/2023 and 11/08/2023, Emails in support of Bike Bellevue received between 10/31/2023 and 11/08/2023, Presentation
- Bellevue Commuter Trip Reduction/Employee Transportation Coordinator Networking Meeting (October 25, 2023): Presentation
- Bellevue Chamber of Commerce PLUSH Committee (October 24, 2023): Presentation
- Bellevue Chamber Transportation Committee (September 27, 2023): Presentation
- Eastside Easy Rider Collaborative (September 26, 2023): Presentation
- Bellevue Downtown Association Transportation Committee (September 20, 2023): Presentation
- Transportation Commission (September 14, 2023): Agenda Memo, DRAFT Project Area Map, Bike Bellevue Project Principles, DRAFT Design Concepts Guide, September 2023, Draft Community Engagement Plan, Presentation
- Transportation Commission (May 25, 2023): Agenda Memo, Draft Community Engagement Plan, Presentation
- Bellevue Youth Council and Action Team Meeting (May 17, 2023): Presentation
- Transportation Commission (May 11, 2023): Agenda Memo, Project Principles, Project Area Map, CIP Project Description (PW-W/B-85), Background on Bicycle Planning and Implementation in Bellevue, Draft Community Engagement Plan, Presentation
- Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee (April 6, 2023): Presentation
- City Council (March 27, 2023): Agenda Memo, Project Area Map, Project Principles, CIP Project Description (PW-W/B-85), Presentation
Project materials
- Bike Bellevue poster (September 2023)
- Bike Bellevue mailer in English, 繁體中文, 简体中文, Español, Русский, తెలుగు (September 2023)
- Bike Bellevue flyer (April 2023)