The city has started work on Bike Bellevue, a project aimed at implementing bicycle network improvements in the city's urban core — including Downtown, Wilburton and BelRed. The goal of Bike Bellevue is to enhance the city’s multimodal transportation system and help make it safer and more equitable, sustainable and accessible for everyone.
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.
How to get involved
Staff will be discussing Bike Bellevue at Transportation Commission meetings. Meetings are open to the public and are held in-person and online.
As part of the public engagement, the city expects to conduct focus groups to better understand community priorities. The project team is also conducting engagement briefings with interested parties. If you represent a neighborhood association, business organization, interest group, community-based organization or other group that would like a briefing, please contact the Bike Bellevue program manager, Franz Loewenherz (floewenherz@bellevuewa.gov).
Community meeting materials
- Transportation Commission (May 25, 2023): Agenda Memo, Draft Community Engagement Plan, 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 flyer (April 2023)
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.
Project principles
The council approved project principles are the Transportation Commission’s guide for developing 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 designthe 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.
Proposed timeline
March 27, 2023: The City Council directed staff to engage with the Transportation Commission to prepare Bike Bellevue consistent with the project principles.
Q2-Q4 2023: The Transportation Commission and project team will consider technical details of Bike Bellevue, including environmental review, project design, sequencing priorities and public input. Discussions will take place during public meetings and workshops. Meeting dates and times will be added under the “How to get involved” section as they are scheduled.
Q2-Q4 2023: Online engagement and an in person open house will provide information to the public and invite input. This input will inform the Transportation Commission’s recommendation.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How was the area for Bike Bellevue determined?
Major capital projects and levy-supported projects are implementing bikeways in Bellevue’s downtown, Wilburton and BelRed neighborhoods; however, significant gaps in the network remain that limit access to and the utility of these investments. The neighborhoods in this project area collectively represent just 8.5% of the city geography but account for 52% of citywide transit usage, 65% of citywide jobs, 36% of citywide "high-injury network" and 34% of the city’s pedestrian and bicyclists involved in fatal and serious injury crashes.
In 2025, East Link light rail will serve five stations in the project area, and Eastrail will open new segments along the old rail corridor. Ensuring safe access for all travelers is critical as 30,000 new jobs and 27,000 new residents are anticipated in the project area by 2025.
What types of bicycle projects will be implemented on streets?
Bike Bellevue will include rapid-build bicycle improvements that will fill network gaps in the project area. Rapid-build projects use low-cost materials that can be quickly installed on existing streets with no or minimal impact to existing curbs and drainage.
How is Bike Bellevue different from past bikeway projects?
Past efforts to advance bicycle facility improvements along individual corridors have proved to be challenging, involving time-consuming and costly consultative processes that ultimately delivered only incremental segments of the broader vision for a safe and connected network. A coordinated approach to implementing network improvements — with a single engagement process through which stakeholders arrive at a clearly articulated strategy for investments over multiple years — will help the city achieve its goals more efficiently and effectively.
How will the Bike Bellevue projects be funded?
The 2023-2029 Capital Investment Program (CIP) allocated $4.5 million for the planning, public engagement and implementation of Bike Bellevue. Staff are pursuing other funding sources, such as grants, which would allow more improvements across the network to be implemented.