Bicycle Program

Seattle consistently has been rated one of the top spots in the country for bicycling. Not surprisingly, a substantial proportion of Seattleites use their bicycles for recreation or transportation. It is estimated that about 36% of Seattle's 520,000 citizens engage in recreational bicycling, and between 4,000 and 8,000 people bicycle commute in Seattle each day, depending on the time of year and weather conditions.

SDOT's Bicycle Program has been working steadily toward developing an urban trail system to accommodate bicyclists. Urban trails include shared use paths, bike lanes, signed bike routes, arterials with wide shoulders, and pedestrian pathways. Seattle has about 28 miles of shared use paths, 22 miles of on-street, striped bike lanes, and about 90 miles of signed bike routes.

The goal of the Urban Trails system is to:

• Facilitate bicycling as a viable transportation choice;
  
  
• Afford citizens the opportunity to experience the City's unique scenic and natural amenities;
  
  
• Provide access to healthful recreational activities; and
  
  
• Link major parks and open spaces with Seattle neighborhoods.

When completed, the City will have established a bicycle facility network linking neighborhoods and activity centers, as well as providing connections with recreational and natural areas within the Puget Sound region.

For more information about the Seattle Bicycle & Pedestrian Program, call (206) 684-7583.