• Header Image
    Image of bicyclists stopped in a green bike box in an intersection while a pedestrian and dog cross the street.

    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.

    A map showing the portions of streets that are included in Bike Bellevue.
    A map showing the Bike Bellevue project area. Click to enlarge.

    Current status

    At their April 11 meeting, the Transportation Commission directed staff to 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
    A map showing a proposed bike route in the Wilburton neighborhood.
    Wilburton Route. Click to enlarge.
    • Lake Washington Boulevard eastbound from 99th Avenue Northeast to 100th Avenue Northeast 
    A map showing a proposed bike route along Lake Washington Boulevard.
    Lake Washington Boulevard (segment marked with an A). Click to enlarge.
    • Northeast Second Street between Bellevue Way Northeast and 112th Avenue Northeast (Segment B)
    A map showing a proposed bike route along NE 2nd Street
    Northeast Second Street (segment marked with a B). Click to enlarge.

    At their May 23 meeting, the Transportation Commission directed staff to 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.
    A map showing a proposed bike route along Northup Way
    Northup Way. Click to enlarge.
    • 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.
    A map showing a proposed bike route along NE 12th St/Bel-Red Road
    Northeast 12th Street/Bel-Red Road (three segments total). Click to enlarge.
    • 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.
    A map showing a proposed bike route along 140th Avenue NE
    140th Avenue Northeast. Click to enlarge.

    How to get involved

    Bike Bellevue is scheduled to be discussed next at the Transportation Commission meeting on September 12, 2024. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in room 1E-113 at Bellevue City Hall, and virtually via Zoom.

    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:

    1. Corridors that would not require travel lane repurposing that the city would program and implement as soon as possible.
    2. Corridors that have an emphasis on creating connected routes for Bike Bellevue.
    3. 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.
    4. Prioritize high injury network area corridors.
    5. 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.
    6. Corridors that would no longer be considered and provide a rationale as to why.
    7. 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. The guide is expected to evolve over the course of the project to account for new insights and project refinements informed by technical analysis and public input. Future updates to the guide will be available on this webpage.

    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

    Project materials

    Alerts
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