It wasn’t until several tons of metal, aluminum, glass and rubber zipped by, a few inches away from me on Bothell Way, that I realized I was on someone else’s turf. Turf that I apparently didn’t belong on.
The Sound Transit bus driver passed by carefully, since I had almost no shoulder to steer to. Still, it left me with the impression that commuting by bicycle should be considered an extreme sport.
Cycling is something I’ve only done a few times. In journalism a car is an unfortunate and necessary expense. But those few times I rode my bike for something other than leisure, it’s been worth it, but it wasn’t easy.
To commute to The Enterprise office in Lynnwood from my Lake Forest Park apartment is a 13-mile round trip, with some sustained and steep climbs, depending on which direction I’m going. Between our hilly terrain and wet, cool climate, no wonder bicycle commuting is limited largely to the uber-fit set or those who live and work near a paved, flat trail.
In addition, bike commuting takes a car out of the interlocking economy of car dealers, gas stations, repair shops, road contractors, gas taxes and state registration fees. It’s in the financial interests of many to keep us driving.
Nonetheless, the commuting potential of our paved trails aren’t being maximized.
One day I rode to Kirkland to take care of a vacationing friend’s dog. In my backpack I had maps of suggested bike routes for King and Snohomish counties. The King County map made a commute to Kirkland seem fairly easy – Take the Burke-Gilman to Bothell, turn right on Waynita Way and within a few miles, I’d be at her house. But there were no signs pointing out the intersection with Waynita Way. I ended up in Woodinville before I figured out where I needed to go.
Few destinations are pointed out on bike trails. Lake Forest Park is an exception. There are signs on the Burke-Gilman pointing out city hall, the library and Towne Centre. But otherwise, signs showing what streets riders are approaching are few. The situation is worse on the Sammamish River Trail.
The small existing network of paved trails in our area offers an opportunity to encourage commuting that isn’t dependent on oil, won’t pollute the air, and will do something about the state’s growing obesity problem. The Trust for America’s Health recently ranked Washington 31st in the country in terms of obesity rates, but the state had a high statistical gain from 2003-2005.
Making it easier to commute by bike with more signage would help address a myriad of problems, from obesity to traffic congestion to air pollution. Sure, it won’t reverse global warming and fix several dilemmas this state faces, but nothing exists in a vacuum, and no problem can be fixed with only one solution.
Besides, putting in more signs to help and encourage bike commuters is a lot cheaper than building freeway overpasses for busses and car pools.
John Santana is a writer and editor with The Enterprise Newspapers.
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