Center City Bike Network – 2nd Ave Extension
Seattle, WA
Project Summary
When the City of Seattle wanted to extend a successful two-way protected bike lane on a primary downtown corridor, Toole Design provided planning and preliminary engineering services. Our national expertise informed the development of a state-of-the-art bicycle facility that incorporates innovative features including curb-level concrete separation, near-side bicycle signals, and raised loading zones and pedestrian crossings. The completed project adds nearly a mile to a 13-block route that runs to the center city’s northern boundary.
Expertise Applied
2nd Avenue is part of the City Center Bike Network, a connected network of streets under consideration for dedicated bicycle facilities in fast-growing downtown Seattle.
To reduce motor vehicle speeds at conflict points, our concept called for raising the height of the bikeway and extended the driveway apron out into the buffer, as well as reducing the turning radius at protected intersections.
The constructed facility includes visual and textile elements that help differentiate the bikeway from the sidewalk and the roadway using the latest thinking for ADA-compliant streetscapes.
The 2nd Ave extension, constructed in 2017, includes Seattle's first use of 4" bicycle near-side signals, giving people on bikes clear traffic control instructions.
The concrete buffers giving the 2nd Ave bikeway its protection feature a beveled curb edge on the bike lane side, reducing the risk of falling for people on bikes.
Raised planters with lean rails at intersections provide additional vertical separation, visual appeal, and offer people on bikes a place to wait comfortably during red lights.