Commute trips by bike are flat in Seattle, despite investments in high quality infrastructure. The city will have to do more for bikes to cut into the overall share of commute trips in the city of Seattle.
Gene Balk writes a column that begrudgingly acknowledges a troubling trend for bike advocates in Seattle: according to Census data, bike commuting is at a ten-year low in the city.
Last year, just 2.8 percent of workers who reside in the city of Seattle commuted to work by bicycle as their primary mode of transportation most days. That’s down from 3.5 percent in 2016, a statistically significant decline. And remarkably, you have to go all the back to 2007 to find a lower number — it was 2.3 percent that year.
What's troubling, writes Balk, is that the city has been investing in its bike infrastructure in the hopes of making biking a more attractive option.
It should be noted that the city of Seattle has achieved unparalleled success in the U.S. for reducing the share of solo car commuters and increasing the number of riders on buses and trains, so the city does have a track record of public transportation investments paying off in reduced car trips.
FULL STORY: Seattle bike commuting hits 10-year low, census data show
Transit Use Down, Remote Work Up in Seattle
Fewer workers in downtown Seattle are taking public transit to work thanks in large part to an ongoing move to remote work.
Report: D.C. Area Commuters Driving Alone Less
With all the bad news about plummeting ridership as the D.C. Metro transit system has struggled to deal with maintenance issues, a new report indicates that regional commuters are still driving alone less.
If You Build It, They Will Ride (400% More)
A more than 400 percent increase in bike ridership following the opening of a protected bike lane on Second Avenue proves that Seattleites are more inclined to ride with safe facilities.
Chicago Red Line Extension Could Transform the South Side
The city’s transit agency is undertaking its biggest expansion ever to finally bring rail to the South Side.
Planetizen’s Top Planning Books of 2023
The world is changing, and planning with it.
Why College Campuses Make Ideal Models for Cities
College campuses serve as ideal models for cities, with their integrated infrastructure, vibrant communities, sustainability initiatives, and innovation hubs inspiring urban planning and development for a brighter future.
Study: Homeless People Face Higher Mortality Risk
Unhoused adults are more than three times as likely to die in any given year as their housed counterparts, research shows.
Study: Equity in Car Share Programs Requires Low Cost, Broad Coverage
Data from a Los Angeles car share program showed its impact on underserved communities was ‘limited by its small footprint.’
The Largest U.S. City Lacking Mass Transit
Arlington, Texas has the dubious distinction of being the largest city in the nation with no fixed-route public transit system.
University of New Mexico - School of Architecture & Planning
Placer County
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Arizona State University, Ten Across
Park City Municipal Corporation
National Capital Planning Commission
City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
