A cyclist crosses Madison Street along the Interurban Trail on Thursday in Everett. The City of Everett is considering adding bike lanes to Madison Street to connect the Interurban Trail to other bike routes in the area. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

A cyclist crosses Madison Street along the Interurban Trail on Thursday in Everett. The City of Everett is considering adding bike lanes to Madison Street to connect the Interurban Trail to other bike routes in the area. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Bike lane considered for stretch of Madison Street in Everett

The city is seeking input on a plan that would eliminate on-street parking.

EVERETT — Some of Everett’s first buffered bike lanes could replace on-street parking on Madison Street.

First, the city wants to hear what people think about the proposal under consideration as part of next year’s pavement overlay work. People can provide input in an online questionnaire until Monday.

The 1.7-mile segment would be between Commercial Avenue and Gateway Terrace, a small road just east of Sievers Duecy Boulevard.

Buffered bike lanes add distance, and can include physical barriers, between cars and bicycles. City staff say those present a more cost-effective idea on Madison.

“As responsible stewards of public funds, we know this is an opportunity to not only do road maintenance… this gives us an opportunity to do our other plans,” Everett active transportation planner Christina Anna Curtis said.

Everett has a mix of bike infrastructure.

Interurban Trail is a multi-use path separated from vehicles that runs north and south near Interstate 5. Several streets are shared by cyclists and motorists, such as Hoyt Avenue. Others have bike lanes along the shoulder next to vehicle lanes, such as Casino Road.

Protected bike lanes physically separated from vehicles by bollards, parking, or planter and tree medians are considered the safest option.

Every year Everett spends around $3 million on pavement overlay to repair and resurface select roads. Work includes grinding out the existing road, rebuilding it, then restriping the lanes, parking and other markings.

Everett Public Works staff also look at the Everett Bicycle Master Plan, a planning document that guides city investment, to couple with some projects.

A pedestrian walks along the Interurban Trail and past a sign asking for public input on proposed bike lanes on Madison Street on Thursday in Everett. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

A pedestrian walks along the Interurban Trail and past a sign asking for public input on proposed bike lanes on Madison Street on Thursday in Everett. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

The bike plan actually calls for reconstruction of Madison Street to include bike lanes in addition to parking. But that would require a major overhaul of the roadway or property acquisition to expand the right-of-way. Both of those options are costly and outside the city’s current budget.

In prior projects, the city has used existing roadway width to add bike lanes.

Madison is different because it would instead swap out parking for bike lanes as part of the overlay work.

“This is sort of a test case for us,” city engineer Tom Hood said.

The city proposes replacing on-street parking with 5-foot-wide bike lanes separated by 2.5 feet from the vehicle lane. It’s enough room for one cyclist in the lane at a time. At least 8 feet are required for two cyclists next to each other in design standards, Curtis said.

Design hasn’t started beyond early sketches to visualize the proposal. But crews likely will use a plastic material on the road, instead of just paint, to provide texture that alerts drivers and riders when they veer into it, Hood said.

Vertical posts or bollards could be installed for further separation between motorists and cyclists. But “harder” protection like curb median segments is unlikely because it is bound by the overlay budget.

Tyler Rourke, chairman of the city’s Transportation Advisory Committee and a bike commuter, has chastised Everett’s lack of protected bike lanes. If people can get around safely on a bike, he thinks it would reduce vehicles and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

If built, 5-foot bike lanes on each side of Madison Street would connect the Interurban Trail with planned bike lanes leading toward the Boeing complex and Paine Field.

A graphic illustrates proposed bike lanes on Madison Street compared to the existing roadway use, which includes parallel parking on either side. (City of Everett)

A graphic illustrates proposed bike lanes on Madison Street compared to the existing roadway use, which includes parallel parking on either side. (City of Everett)

“Thousands of people go there every day and we consistently get feedback they would like active transportation options to get there,” Curtis said.

Currently that stretch of Madison Street has vehicle lanes east and west, a center turn lane and parallel parking on both sides. It has turn lanes at intersections with Colby Avenue, Evergreen Way, and Sievers Duecy Boulevard.

Residences line most of Madison, with some commercial lots.

Speed limits are between 30 and 35 mph on Madison, similar to other arterials. Studies have shown higher speeds when a driver hits a pedestrian lead to more fatalities and serious injuries.

Everett’s conducting a citywide speed limit study to determine if any need to change, which the city council would approve.

“It’s not likely Madison will get a lower posted speed,” Hood said. “We also find often that lowering the posted speed doesn’t necessarily change driver behavior.”

Curtis and Hood said they’ve heard claims that people don’t bike on Madison Street now, so bike lanes are unnecessary. But city infrastructure is built and changed for future use, similar to not constructing a bridge based on the number of people swimming across the water.

“We know that when we build it, people use it,” Curtis said.

Providing non-motorized transportation options throughout the city is a facet of Everett’s climate action plans.

Ben Watanabe: bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3037; Twitter @benwatanabe.

Talk to us

More in Local News

Ciscoe Morris, a longtime horticulturist and gardening expert, will speak at Sorticulture. (Photo provided by Sorticulture)
Get your Sorticulture on: Garden festival returns to downtown Everett

It’s a chance to shop, dance, get gardening tips, throw an axe and look through a big kaleidoscope. Admission is free.

Members of South County Fire practice onboarding and offboarding a hovering Huey helicopter during an interagency disaster response training exercise at Arlington Municipal Airport on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in Arlington, Washington. The crews learned about and practiced safe entry and exit protocols with crew from Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue before begin given a chance to do a live training. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Snohomish, King counties train together for region’s next disaster

Dozens of agencies worked with aviators Tuesday to coordinate a response to a simulated earthquake or tsunami.

Police stand along Linden Street next to orange cones marking pullet casings in a crime scene of a police involved shooting on Friday, May 19, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens man identified in Everett manhunt, deadly police shooting

Travis Hammons, 34, was killed by officers following a search for an armed wanted man in a north Everett neighborhood.

Funko mascots Freddy Funko roll past on a conveyor belt in the Pop! Factory of the company's new flagship store on Aug. 18, 2017.  (Dan Bates / The Herald)
Lawsuit: Funko misled investors about Arizona move

A shareholder claims Funko’s decision to relocate its distribution center from Everett to Arizona was “disastrous.”

Lynnwood
1 stabbed at apartment in Lynnwood

The man, 26, was taken to an Everett hospital with “serious injuries.”

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. Highway 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Red flag fire warning issued west of Cascades

There are “critical fire weather” conditions due to humidity and wind in the Cascades, according to the National Weather Service.

A house fire damaged two homes around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, 2023 in Marysville, Washington. (Photo provided by Marysville Fire District)
Fire burns 2 homes in Marysville, killing 2 dogs

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire north of Lakewood Crossing early Tuesday, finding two houses engulfed in flames.

Multiple signs at Boxcar Park alert park users to a ban on kites at the park “effective immediately” on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett’s Boxcar Park cuts strings with kite flyers due to power lines

Safety is the reason for the ban at the park with the perfect breeze for kite flying.

Lynnwood
Woman claims self-defense in nearly fatal Lynnwood stabbing

The Seattle woman, 35, told officers a man threatened her, so she stabbed him, according to police.

Most Read