Counting Bikes and Pedestrians Next Week

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Count is coming up October 1-3 and Cascade Bicycle Club is looking for volunteers to help.  These counts are extremely important in helping to gauge the success of our city's current infrastructure and plan for future projects. 

A bike commuter climbs the newly reopened Murray Morgan Bridge

You can help by signing up to sit at an intersection on one of these three days from 7 – 9 a.m. and/or from 4 – 6 p.m. and tally the number of cyclists and pedestrians you see. You can also help by recruiting friends, family, coworkers, and anyone else willing to help. 

Sign up here and follow these steps:

1. Scroll down and click “Tacoma – Bike & Pedestrian Counts”
2. Choose which intersection and time slot(s) you would like to sign up for and click the registration button at the bottom of the page
3. Print out the count form and instructions
4. Head out to your intersection at the designated time on Oct. 1, 2, or 3 and start tallying!
5. Follow the directions on your count form for returning the data to Cascade Bicycle Club

Alternatively, if you'll be walking or biking on those days, be sure to tally your commute miles with Pierce Trips. It's a great way for the city to gauge how many people are using alternative transportation options throughout the year, plus you can be entered to win some cool rewards.

Bike Racing in Tacoma This Weekend

Our city doesn't often host bicycle races, which is why the Tacoma Twilight Criterium is a must-see event. There will be races all afternoon on Saturday starting at 4pm with the fastest races taking place near dusk.

Previously held in downtown Tacoma, the race moved to the Proctor District last summer with a short and intense 2-block course that was excellent for spectating. Local legends battled head-to-head as fans and neighbors cheered them on to victory. It was awesome.

There are plenty of spots nearby to grab a bite to eat, including two grocery stores, but you'll need to get there early if you want a window seat at one of the restaurants that are on-course. Remember that roads will be closed 1-2 blocks around the event, so plan accordingly. Dust off those cowbells!

Kidical Mass Tacoma #3: Central Tacoma

Our previous Kidical Mass Tacoma rides have taken us to Proctor and Hilltop. In July we're heading for Central Tacoma.

There's been some great discussion lately about the University of Puget Sound and its relationship with the surrounding community, so we'll be starting our next ride from the big campus fountain near the student union building.

Our destination is Franklin Park, which now has a sprayground, where we'll take a break and play for a while. Along the way, we will also make a stop at Tacoma's largest Little Free Library. Expect a brief lesson on the importance of sharing.

A more detailed route map is below. 

View Kidical Mass #3: Central Tacoma in a larger map

As always, we'll be riding in the street, because kids are traffic, too.  We always ride together as a group and volunteers will be helping us with some of the larger arterial crossings. Our good pal Jeff's Ice Cream will have free ice cream and fruit bars for the riders at the finish.  

Kids, tell your parents you want to ride in the street! And feel free to share the link or print and post the flyer above. See you there.

Families Bike Hilltop

We had another great turnout for Kidical Mass Tacoma #2. After some bike fitting and decorating,  we toured the neighborhood with five or six families. Two parents even jogged along with the group, which wasn't difficult at our kid-bike pace. Our youngest rider was just 3 years old, but we all stayed together and rode as a group.

We rode in the street from Peoples Park to McCarver Park (also know as Zina's Place) with a loop around  Ferry Park on the way. (Did you know that Ferry is Tacoma's oldest park? 1883!) All three of these Hilltop parks have great playgrounds and lots of open space to run and ride around. 

After a short break at McCarver, we took a more direct route back to Peoples Park, taking advantage of the one-way streets through the neighborhood. Crossing South 19th Street was the only difficulty, but courteous drivers helped us manage it safely. Thank you Kris, Peter, and Betsy for volunteering as crossing guards.

Jeff's Ice Cream had frozen treats for our riders at the finish, courtesy of a few anonymous snack sponsors. Thank you, Sponsors! Made In Washington ice cream is the best.

It was great to chat with other parents about family cycling in Tacoma and brainstorm future Kidical Mass events. If you have questions, comments, or feedback about the rides, please share a note below or email us. We're having fun and looking forward to sharing the lane with kids again soon.

Up Next: Kidical Mass Ride #3

Saturday July 13!

Central Tacoma: UPS Campus to Franklin Park

Meetup at 10:30am by the fountain at the University of Puget Sound (N 15th and Lawrence)

Ride 11am-12pm to the newly renovated Franklin Park, then back to UPS

More details and route info coming soon 

Kidical Mass Ride #4

Saturday August 17

Where should we go? Destination, route, theme?

Maybe the East Side or South Tacoma?

We'll announce details at the July ride and here on the blog.

Kidical Mass Ride #5

Sunday September 22

Mark your calendar! We'll be gathering kids to ride a portion of the Sunday Parkways route that will connect the downtown waterfront to Point Defiance Park. 

This is a huge event organized by the City of Tacoma and you won't want to miss it.

Tacoma's Helmet Law

While helmet use is not mandated state-wide in Washington, the City of Tacoma does have a law that requires bicyclists (and their passengers in trailer's, etc.) to wear an approved helmet. I found the law listed here in Chapter 11.30 of the Tacoma Municipal Code.

Cyclists in Tacoma should be aware of the law. I've copy/pasted it here, but be mindful that the law could be updated and modified from this current version.

Tacoma Municipal Code 11.30.010 BICYCLE, SKATEBOARD, ROLLER SKATES, AND SCOOTER HELMETS

Purpose and policy.

Chapter 11.30A. This chapter is enacted as an exercise of the authority of the City of Tacoma to protect and preserve the public health and welfare. Its provisions shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of these purposes.
B. It is the express purpose of this chapter to provide for and to promote the health and welfare of the general public and not to create or otherwise establish or designate any particular class or group of persons who will or should be especially protected or benefited by the terms of this chapter.
C. It is the specific intent of this chapter to place the obligation of complying with its requirements upon any person falling within this scope, and no provision of nor term used in this chapter is intended to impose any duty whatsoever upon the City of Tacoma, or its officers or employees, or the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, or its officers or employees, for whom the implementation or enforcement of this chapter shall be discretionary and not mandatory.
D. Nothing contained in this chapter is intended to be, nor shall be, construed to create or to form the basis for a liability on the part of the City of Tacoma, or its officers, employees, or agents, for any injury or damage resulting from the failure of any person subject to this chapter to comply with this chapter, or by reason or in consequence of any act or omission in connection with the implementation or enforcement of this chapter on the part of the City of Tacoma by its officers, employees, or agents.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

11.30.020 Definitions.As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless every context clearly requires otherwise:
A. “Bicycle” means every device propelled solely by human power upon which a person or persons may ride having two tandem wheels, either of which is 16 inches or more in diameter, or three wheels, any one of which is more than 20 inches in diameter (RCW 46.04.071). Within this chapter, the term “bicycle” shall include any attached trailers, side cars, and/or other device being towed by a bicycle.
B. “Guardian” means a parent, legal guardian, an adult with custody, or temporary guardian who maintains responsibility, whether voluntary or otherwise, for the safety and welfare of a person under the age of 18 years.
C. “Helmet” means a head covering that meets or exceeds safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 15 USCS § 6004, or the Snell Foundation, or such subsequent nationally recognized standard for bicycle, skateboard, roller skate, or scooter helmet performance as the City Council may adopt.
D. “Public area” means public roadways, bicycle paths, parks, or any right-of-way or publicly owned facility under the jurisdiction of the City of Tacoma.
E. “Roller skates” means a pair of shoes or boots mounted upon two sets of wheels, or mounted upon three or more sets of wheels located one behind the other under the attached shoe or boot, and is most often propelled by the user in an upright, standing position.
F. “Scooter” means a footboard mounted upon two or more wheels, controlled by an upright steering handle, and is most often propelled by the user usually in an upright position or kneeling
G. “Skateboard” means a board of any material with wheels affixed to the underside, designed to be ridden by a person. (Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)
City Clerk’s Office 11-69 (Revised 05/2013)Tacoma Municipal Code 11.30.030 Helmet required.A. Any person bicycling, skateboarding, roller-skating, riding a scooter, or riding as a bicycle passenger on or in tow of a bicycle, skateboard, roller skater, or scooter, upon any public area in the City of Tacoma shall wear an approved helmet designed for safety that meets or exceeds the standards adopted in TMC 11.30.020.C and shall have either the neck or chin strap of the helmet fastened securely while the bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter is in motion.
B. No person shall transport another person on or in tow of a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter upon any public area in the jurisdiction of the City of Tacoma, unless the passenger is wearing a helmet that meets the requirements of this chapter.
C. A parent or guardian is responsible for requiring that a child under the age of 18 years wears an approved helmet while bicycling, skateboarding, roller-skating, riding a scooter, or riding as a passenger on a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter, in any public area in the City of Tacoma, and has the neck or chin strap of the helmet fastened securely.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

11.30.040 Bicycle, skateboard, roller skate, scooter races, and events – Helmet required.A. Any person managing a bicycle, skateboard, roller skate, or scooter race, an organized event involving bicycling, skateboarding, roller-skating, riding a scooter, or a bicycle tour in the public areas of the City of Tacoma shall require that all participants on or in tow of bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, or scooters, wear approved helmets.
B. The person managing any such event shall include the helmet requirement in any promotional brochures and on registration materials.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

11.30.050 Bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter leasing or loan – Helmet required.A. Any person engaging in the business of renting or loaning (e.g., a test drive) any bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter for use in any public place in the City of Tacoma shall supply the persons leasing or using bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, or scooters with approved helmets as defined herein, along with the bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, or scooter, unless the bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter riders and passengers possess approved helmets of their own, and offer proof thereof, for use with the bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter.
B. The rental papers (contract, agreement, or receipt) must advise the person renting the bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter of the helmet requirements of this chapter.
C. It is a defense to this section for a person wearing an unapproved helmet that the helmet was furnished in conjunction with his or her lease of a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter by a person engaged in the business of renting bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, or scooters, and that the helmet was fastened securely while bicycling, skateboarding, roller-skating, or riding a scooter.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

11.30.060 Helmet sales – Safety standards.A. No person shall sell or offer for sale a helmet that does not meet or exceed the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 15 USCS § 6004, or the Snell Foundation, or such subsequent nationally recognized standard for helmet performance as the City of Tacoma may adopt.
B. It is a defense that the sale or offer for sale was an isolated sale of used merchandise made by an individual who was not engaged in the business of selling or repairing recreational equipment, such as a seller at a garage or rummage sale.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

11.30.070 Penalties – Civil nontraffic violations.A. Any person, including a parent or guardian, violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall have committed a civil nontraffic violation and shall be liable for a monetary penalty not to exceed $25.00.
B. The court may waive, reduce, or suspend the penalty and clear the notice of violation as a warning for an individual who has not received a notice of violation of this chapter within one year, and provides proof that he or she has acquired an approved helmet at the time of appearance in court.
C. Each child under 18 years of age not meeting the requirements of TMC 11.30.030 shall represent a separate violation. D. Each rental and each event under TMC 11.30.040 shall be a separate violation. (Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)
(Revised 05/2013) 11-70 City Clerk’s Office

11.30.080 Enforcement.A. The City of Tacoma Police Department shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this chapter. B. For the purpose of this chapter, law enforcement officers may, at their discretion:
1. Enter, during business hours, the premises of a business selling, repairing, or renting bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, or scooters, or selling sporting or recreation equipment to determine compliance with this chapter
2. Post notice outside the premises of the business that offers for sale, rent, or other public use, bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter helmets that do not meet the safety standards of this chapter, so that the public is informed; and
3. Stop a bicycle, skateboard, roller skate, and scooter race; an organized event involving bicycling, skateboarding, roller-skating, riding a scooter; or a bicycle tour that takes place in a public area when there is conspicuous disregard for the requirements of this chapter, involving multiple infractions.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

11.30.090 Information and education.A. Information and the need for bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter helmets; safe helmet use; safe bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter operation; and existing bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter safety programs are available at the City of Tacoma Police Department and Fire Department.
B. The City of Tacoma encourages any person engaging in the business of selling bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, and scooters to include information on bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter safety and the helmet requirements of this chapter with each bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter sold.
C. The City of Tacoma encourages any person engaging in the business of selling bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, and scooter helmets to include information on safe helmet usage with each helmet sold.
(Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)
11.30.100 Severability. Repealed by Ord. 26885. (Ord. 26885 § 1; passed Dec. 4, 2001: Ord. 25507 § 1; passed Jun. 7, 1994)

Bridges of Tacoma

With the recent reopening of the Murray Morgan Bridge, I've started thinking about some of Tacoma's bridges. The Murray Morgan, also known as the 11th Street Bridge, connects downtown to the working waterfront and the Port of Tacoma. It now has a dedicated bike lane in both directions.

There's the 21st Street Bridge, that connects downtown with Northeast Tacoma via WA-509. Bicycles are permitted, but I would recommend finding ways around it unless you are in a car.

Photo by Mrs. TBR

Of course, most folks think of the Tacoma-Narrows Bridge, which is now actually two bridges. The newer one has a separated multi-use lane that is amazing to ride or walk on, especially at night. Plus you don't have to pay the bridge toll if you walk or bike across. Cha-ching!

There are other bridges in Tacoma that don't span waterways, but until today I hadn't used one of the most visible of those land crossings. The 38th Street Pedestrian Bridge crosses eight lanes (or maybe 9 or 10?) of Interstate 5 in the middle of the city. This bridge has a long ramp on the west side near Costco. It's actually very easy to find and use.

I'll add that the main arterial intersection nearest to this point, South 38th and Steele, is probably the most pedestrian and bicycle UNfriendly intersection in the city, not to mention one of the busiest. This bridge is here for a reason.

As you get to the top of the ramp, look south and hear the 38th Street exit roaring along.

Or look north towards the never-ending reconstruction of the Highway 16/I-5 interchange. CHA-CHING.

I had already biked underneath the Highway 16 construction zone, waiting in line with the idling cars on South Tacoma Way. Maybe it was the construction, or maybe it was the rain, or maybe just the fact that I couldn't hear myself think through the traffic noise, but I looked like this as I crossed the bridge towards Jennie Reed Elementary and the East Side.

Whatever the reason may have been, I'm glad that the 38th Street Pedestrian Bridge is there. It made my ride safer and easier than using the main 38th Street Overpass. I was smiling again as soon as I was back on terra-firma, rolling away from the freeway.

From the East Side, I dropped down towards Hill Top and home. On the way, I figured out how to fit the Tacoma Dome on my bike rack.

There are many more bridges in Tacoma. Which bridges do you use? 

Tacoma's Murray Morgan Bridge Reopens

A pair of riders on electric-assist folding bikes were the first to cross the reopened Murray Morgan Bridge today. My pre-schooler and I were right behind them on our cargobike along with 30-40 pedestrians. I used to bike commute over this bridge on my way to Federal Way, especially after it was closed to automobile traffic but left open to bikes and pedestrians. It's a striking and functional landmark of Tacoma that deserved to be restored and preserved.

I know more than a handful of bike commuters who work on the Tide Flats who are very excited for this bridge to reopen. The improved road surface would have been worthy enough of praise from cyclists, but the bike lane is very much appreciated.

As we turned around at the bottom and headed back up to downtown, we followed another Port worker on his bike. He was excited for the bridge to be open, too, as he needed to get to the bank downtown to cash his paycheck.

DIY Madsen Bucket Cover Frames

Folks have been asking, so here's more details.

Our Madsen rain cover frames are made from electrical conduit, specifically 1/2" EMT. It's light, cheap, durable, and very easy to work with. You'll want to use a pipe bender like this. You may be able to rent one from a home store or borrow one from a neighbor. It's a basic lever hand tool that is very easy to use. Measure twice, bend once. And make sure you are bending the conduit in the corrected direction!

The frame has only four pieces: two 10' lengths of 1/2" EMT (conduit) and two 1/2" couplers. Total cost is maybe $5. Ideally, the left and right sides of the frame are mirrors of one another and the couplers line up in the middle of the bucket. The structure sits on the edges of the bench seats; both benches must be used for the cover to stand on its own.

The frame can be covered with anything. I recently discovered that a burlap coffee sack from my local roaster is the perfect size and shape when you rip the side seams open. I added a piece of coroplast to the roof of this one to help dome the roof and take out the slack in the fabric.

To keep the whole thing from tipping out of the bucket, you need some sort of tensioner under the outer lip of the bucket to attach to the cover fabric. For our sewn covers, we used Sunbrella fabric and hemmed in a slot at the front and back to loop through a 1" web belt with some buckles.

In a pinch, the burlap coffee cover was attached with a length of rope and some zip-ties. Total cost of the burlap cover and frame: less than $10 and 2 hours of playing in the garage. This makes for a decent sun shade or windbreak, but wouldn't last long in heavy rain.

Related posts:

DIY Madsen Bucket Covers Revisited

DIY Flag Pole Holder

A reader just commented in our Show Your Colors post:

"I have been contemplating whether a big American flag on the back of our bicycles would help with one of the hazards of biking my children to work in downtown Seattle: folks in big trucks, who are not used to bicycles. One fellow yelled at my husband and 2 yr old for 4 blocks once as they all rolled slowly along 5th Ave. How did you attach yours?" - Molly

I have only had positive feedback from drivers when flying Old Glory on the back of the bike. Instead of honking in frustration, they honk and wave as they pass with plenty of room and give a thumbs-up.  I met a local couple that toured the entire United States by tandem with a small American flag on their rear rack; they testified that it may have saved them from being run off the road on more than one occasion.  Bottom line: It can't hurt.

Here's a behind-the-freeloader look at our DIY flag pole holder on an Xtracycle.

Drilled a row of holes to make a slot for the U-clamp. 

Zip-tied top of PVC to V-rack

Insert flagpole of smaller diameter and ride.

Reaper Ride 2012

The upcoming MOB Ride is starting at Broken Spoke in Hilltop. Bring some take-out from your favorite restaurant and join a bunch of costumed bike riders for a bicycle booze cruz around Tacoma. Should be a blast. Get directions here.

Care Packages: Mailing a Folding Bike to a Military APO with USPS!

My mom is a member of the Air Force Nurse Corps. She was recently deployed on short notice to an undisclosed location, where she will be stationed for six to nine months. It's the Military, so who really knows, right?

Once she had arrived and settled at her undisclosed location, Mom quickly realized that she wanted a bike for getting around the base.  While she could purchase a larger men's frame bike from her small base exchange, she doesn't feel comfortable mounting and dismounting with a high horizontal top tube. The base exchange could not order her the step-through women's model of the same bike due to some import restrictions. These same restrictions also prevented her from purchasing a bike online and having it shipped directly to her APO address. Plus there are other restrictions specific to certain APO zip codes, so most retailers won't (can't?) do it.

But I can mail her care packages! And what better treat to receive than a bike? Mom thought a folding bike would be well sized to her stature and small living quarters, so I found the best deal I could on a single speed folder, which at the time was this Dahon Boardwalk from Performance. It was on sale and I saved roughly the cost of having it delivered to my house. The local Performance store may have had one in stock, but I also wanted the box and the packing materials. These folding bikes are shipped with some plastic covers for the hinges that were nice to have considering the distance this box would ultimately be traveling.

The bike arrived at my house in a matter of days. I removed the bike from the box, taking pictures of how it was packed so that I could repack it easily later. I adjusted the front brake and took it for a test ride to assess the bike mechanically. A bike shop should do this for you if you want to keep the warranty valid.

I then went to my local bike shop and assembled a basic tool and accessory kit for Mom's new bike: spare tube, patch kit, hand pump, lock, head light, multitool, tire levers and chain lube. I threw in a handful of cable ties and some clean rags, too. I reinforced the box and repacked the bike with the accessories. I biked it to the Post Office on my Xtracycle. Bike, bike, bike.

This is where the folding part becomes important. The box is oversized by USPS standards, but still much smaller than a standard bike box. USPS limits the length+girth measurement of a parcel to no more than 108 inches. This box measured 106 inches.  The postal employee said, "Phew! Sir, this is your lucky day!!"  He added that there is a HUGE surcharge for boxes over 108 inches, but the USPS website indicates that they just won't ship parcels that size.

Sending a folding bike with 20" wheels (or even 16" wheels) becomes critical if you are trying to do this on a budget, or at all. The total cost for the bike, accessories, and Priority APO shipping was about $500. Mom was more than willing to pay this price for the convenience of having her own reliable transportation.

Mom is now happily bike commuting to work at the hospital and running errands around the base, which apparently is far better than walking or taking the shuttle bus.

Have you needed to ship a bike to your deployed service member? How did it go? I'm hoping that this will help someone in a similar situation. Mom says one of her co-workers rode her folder and already plans on getting one, too!

What a Weekend: Bicycle Highlights

We had a bustling adventure of a weekend in Tacoma. We biked almost everywhere we needed or wanted to go and never went more than about 3 miles from home. Living in the city has its perks!


Friday: First, another round of the weekly Frost Park Chalk Off. We like to bike there with a picnic lunch. Super T decided we would draw kitty whales, something she created on our kitchen chalkboard earlier in the week.

Much later that night...

MOB RIDE!

If you missed it, watch for posters like this around town (note the MOB logo).

Saturday: Up early so that my little fairy could march in the Junior Daffodil Parade with her pre-school pals.  We biked to this neighborhood like we always do, but driving would have been especially inconvenient since many roads around the parade route were closed to vehicles.

After the parade, we visited the Proctor Farmers Market. (I recommend the spring rolls from the Two Sisters sauce booth.) We also browsed the new Playback Sports shop, which we hadn't been to since they moved. They sell used sporting goods on consignment, including bikes and bike accessories. Tacoma parents should know about this place: spread the word.

Sunday: Wayzgoose! It's a print arts extravaganza hosted by our local independent book store, King's Books.  We biked there with another family. Eight people: four bikes.

The main attraction is the steamroller printing press. RAWR.

Local artists hand carve these sheets of linoleum then print a few very limited edition posters which can only be won through a raffle drawing. There were eight designs, including these two that included bikes.

 TA-DA!

We also brought shirts to take advantage of the free screen-printing booth run by some University of Puget Sound students. And I picked up some cool prints from an artist who also makes records with a vintage record lathe. This one is cut from a plastic pie plate.

A friend from the chalk-off was running the bicycle ice cream trailer for Jeff's Ice Cream. Made in Washington ice cream bars and cookie sandwiches FTW!

 We finished off the day with a Harmon Hub pizza picnic at Wright Park. It was a beautiful day in Tacoma.

Monday: Back to School!

Fin.