What city is the most bike friendly?
Many Seattle residents love to bike. Yahoo! named Seattle one of the Top Ten U.S. Cities for Fitness in 2014 because of all the outdoor activity and exercise including biking. Bicycling.com listed Seattle as number four on its list of America’s Top 50 Bike-friendly Cities.
The city even has a ‘Bicycle Master Plan’ that the city hopes will triple the number of bicycling in Seattle from 2007 to 2017 and “maintaining a safe, connected bicycle networking throughout the city.” It also hopes to reduce the number of bicycle collisions by 33 percent during that timeframe. So it’s not surprising that Seattle features many safe bike paths.
Safe Bike Paths in Seattle
There are plenty of bike trails throughout the city. Drawing on information from TrailLink.com, a selection of some of Seattle’s popular bike paths are detailed below:
- Burke–Gilman Trail: a 17-mile waterfront paved trail, spanning from Puget Sound east to Bothell and used for biking, in-line skating, and more. Some 2,000 people visit this trail daily. Wheelchair accessible.
- Elliot Bay: a paved trail spanning 3.4 miles along the downtown waterfront and into the Seattle Waterfront Pathway. Also used for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) activities, day hiking, fishing, horseback riding, road bicycling, in-line skating, running, and walking.
- Seattle Waterfront Pathway: a two-mile trail stretching south from the Elliot Bay Trail to Broad Street to South Royal Brougham Way. It’s an urban trail that includes close views of departing cruise ships for bikers, skaters, and more. Wheelchair accessible.
- Alki Trail: a 5.5-mile trail for bikers, in-line skaters, and pedestrians. This trail consists of a widened sidewalk; a curb and parking lane separates the cars. There is one tricky intersection on this trail near West Seattle Bridge, but for the most part it’s a great ride. Wheelchair accessible.
The Seattle government website provides additional information about bike trails in the city. Check out their website for bike maps.
Here are some other top-rated cities for bicycling in Washington State:
- Bellingham – There are several bike trails and rides that will take you along the waterfront for some beautiful views.
- Bellevue – The city offers streets that are biker friendly, along with lots of trails to get around town.
- Port Townsend – The city has a lot of bike infrastructure and is a cute little town to ride around in.
- Redmond – Another bike friendly city that is close to Microsoft and other tech companies, making it a great place to live and ride to work.
- Ellensburg – The Palouse to Cascade Parks trail, which is 212 miles long, runs through the city. Also known as being the home of Central Washington University, Ellensburg is a fun town to check out and stop if you are making this long bike ride.
There are several other Washington cities that have been recognized for their “bicycle friendly” communities as follows:
Anacortes
Bainbridge Island
Jamestown
Liberty Lake
Olympia
Port Angeles
Sequim
Snohomish
Spokane
Tacoma
Vancouver
Wenatchee
Other ways that bicyclists can stay safe include riding with traffic, not passing on the right, wearing a helmet, not wearing headphones, and making eye contact with other drivers.
If You Have Been Injured in a Biking Accident
Seattle’s bicycle paths are generally safe, though negligent drivers or other bicyclists might still cause accidents no matter how many precautions you take. If injured, make sure you receive the medical treatment you need, even if you feel fine. Some injuries might not manifest right away so it’s important to see a doctor for evaluation shortly after the accident.
Seeing a doctor is not only important medically, it can create a record of your medical care and treatment if you plan to file legal action against the party responsible for your injuries. Talk to a local attorney about your options if a negligent driver caused your accident and subsequent injuries.
Call Max Meyers Law at 425-399-7000 to discuss your rights and legal options while pursuing an accident claim. You can also visit our contact page to set up a consultation with an attorney.
