The city is challenging motorists to get out of their cars and either walk, bike or ride the bus. Until the end of April, the Walk Bike Ride Challenge is hoping to attract Ballardites.
Here’s how it works:
Register for the program, convert at least two car trips per week in March and April and report all the trips you convert each week. You earn one chance to win a prize for each trip you cut. You can join any week in March or April and start converting car trips to walking, biking and transit.
We’ll help with weekly emails containing tips on walking, biking and riding. You can log in to see how many car trips you have reduced, and even see the collective impact of all the program participants.
Of course with any challenge there needs to be prizes and this is where the Ballard angle comes in. Two people will win a $25 gift certificate from Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers. Other prizes include a $100 REI gift certificate, a $100 Zipcar gift certificate and a birthday party at the Children’s Museum ($175 value.)
The Walk Bike Ride Challenge is an ongoing program that runs every two months. Grand prizes at the end of the year include a one night stay at the Pan Pacific Hotel ($375 value) and an electric bike from e-Moto Electric Vehicles ($1,500 value.)
If only there was a safe separated bike path, as part of a multi use trail that could get cyclists from downtown Ballard or the Locks to Fremont’s Burke Gilman trail. That would be neat and make cycling to work so much easier for a lot of Ballard’s residents.
(Insert heavy sign) Agreed! I commute to downtown Seattle and will dust off my bike, pump up the tires, put on the pads and cross over the Locks to avoid the missing link and the Ballard Bridge. Good luck, SPG!
There is (at least most of that distance) — it’s the sidewalk on the north side of Shilshole and the south side of Market St. It’s not perfect, but it IS paved and well-separated from the car traffic.
and dangerous for bikes and pedestrians to be combined in an area where pedestrians are not expecting a lot of bikes. Sidewalks are not made for us riders, generally.
The sidewalk along almost all of the stretches I mentioned is quite wide; The BG-trail is also for bikers and pedestrians (and others), so I don’t really see much of a functional difference. I do use my bell to warn peds when I’m approaching them from behind.
you’d really ride a bike on the sidewalk of Market Street?
even west of 24th, where I see people routinely do this, it’s very dangerous.
I’ve seen many, many closecalls, especially that strip in front of kiss cafe, moms & me, and that overpriced breakfast place who’s name escapes me. it’s only matter of time–please don’t bike on the sidewalk.
Agreed. I sustained a back injury when a kid hit me (barreling down 15th at 65th – no recourse when they just ride away without even saying sorry), and I was almost hit twice by that older guy with the idiotic lowrider bicycle over by Trader Joe’s.