Liberty Lake is for cyclists, Spokane County and N. ID are chunky

[Cyclist image courtesy of Cycling Spokane]

1) LIBERTY LAKE - We missed this newsworthy bit last fall.  Liberty Lake was recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.  Way to go.  Overall Liberty Lake received a Bronze designation (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) and will retain it for the next four years.  The recognition is due mostly to the significant amount of investment they've made in biking infrastructure over the years.  Bicycle Friendly Communities are recognized only if the community has records in two or more of the following five categories:

• Education: Does the community have systems in place to train children and adult cyclists?
• Engineering: Are bicyclists included in the city’s transportation plan?
• Enforcement: Do police officers understand and enforce bicyclists’ rights and responsibilities?
• Encouragement: Does the community participate in Bike Month, offer bike rodeos, host community bike rides, or otherwise encourage cycling?
• Evaluation: Does the community have methods in place to ensure their bicyclist programs are making a difference?

We have a feeling our turn is just around the corner.

2) Spokane, Northern Idaho, we're sorry to say you are not the biggest loser.  In fact it appears we're a little tubbier than the state average.  "Six out of every 10 people in the county are either overweight or obese," and a similar pattern exists in Northern Idaho.  Near nature, near perfect pudding?

Comments

[David Blaine]

Liberty Lake gets no awards from me. They wasted millions of dollars on their bike path overpass that is located in absolutely the wrong place.
It would have been safer and cheaper had they located the bridge near Simpson street, connecting the Liberty Lake Community Trail with the Cenntenial Trail. I would not want my kids biking anywhere near the congested commercial area at Appleway and Liberty Lake roads. I hate seeing that much money spent without understanding the needs of the people who will use it.

[Brian A. Sayrs]

As it turns out, the City of Liberty Lake (disclaimer: I'm a city councilmember there) tried to move the pedestrian bridge to the north end of Madson Road where it would have created a more useful connection between the Centennial Trail and the industrial and residential areas of the community. We even presented conceptual engineering drawing to the state for approval. However, the department of transportation would have withdrawn their considerable funding if it were not immediately adjacent to Liberty Lake/Harvard Road.

So, while you may be disappointed by its location, please be assured it was not because the local government didn't understand the needs of its neighborhood.

The pedestrian bridge is, nevertheless, quite popular, and significantly safer than crossing the old rural highway bridge which lacked any pedestrian facility whatsoever. It has already altered the future course of development in Liberty Lake, as a town center (mixed use/walkable) is being developed by immediately north of the bridge.

By the way, the total cost of the project, according to the Transportation Improvement Board, was $1,482,677. A photo of the newly completed bridge can be found at: http://www.tib.wa.gov/Projects/picture.asp?pixid=484

[David Blaine]

It sounds like my boos should be aimed at the WSDOT. As for me, I still cross over the regular bridge with the cars. It saves me from having to cross the street twice while traveling North. I have never liked bike paths that encourage riding on the sidewalk or the wrong side of the road.

[Contrarian]

Now Liberty Lake needs to analyze the cost-effectiveness of that $1.5 million. Guess: the money would have been better spent, in terms of shortened trip times per passenger mile, if spent on auto traffic improvements.

And let's hope the town government there does not venture into the business of "encouraging" cycling. People are quite capable of deciding for themselves what transportation mode best meets their needs. The government's job is to meet that demonstrated need, not try to manipulate it.

[bike rider]

I would also like to give my Kudos to Liberty Lake. . .

I think the contrarian is taking a very short sighted view. . .I think that the externalities of an auto oriented society are not fully appreciated especially by people who have never experienced a pedestrian/bike friendly environment. Anyway, wouldn't 60% of the population being fat and $3 gas show a demonstrated need?

[MK]

Contrarian, you seem to have a very unnatural hatred of bikes. Never could figure out how to ride one when you were a kid?

[Sally]

Demonstrated need? Use of bikes to get exercise?.....not so far. I travelled Mulder to and from Liberty Lake all Summer and Autumn . It has a generous bike path. Very few used it often except rarely in the evenings. Bikes are fine by me but spending money to develope bikepaths that go unused except by very few is questionable. Having bikepaths won't develope an exercise ethic.

[Contrarian]

Bike Rider - whether being fat and the price of gas are problems are matters for each person to decide for him/herself. Neither is any business of the gummint of Liberty Lake (or Spokane).

I have no hostility to bikes or bike riders, MK. Just don't wanna pay for their amusements with my gas taxes.

Sally is right that wasting money on little-used bike paths will not change anyone's ethic. The more interesting question is, What makes politicians think they are qualified or competent to try?

[METROSPOKANE]

C- Thanks for the post. Using your logic regarding not "encouraging" cycling let's explore that thought for a minute. If your position is the government shouldn't be in the business of encouraging any form of transport then paving and widening roads would be out. So would requiring sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic control, or plowing. How often were the sidewalks used along Appleway out there or on Molter Road (which is packed during the school year)? Your logic would probably deem those as unnecessary too.

Again, was we've stated before, it's time we start thinking about the overall system (which includes transit, bike paths and pedestrian infrastructure) to solve congestion issues.

Liberty Lake pursued this infrastructure not because a politician wanted it or decided it would be best, but rather the community wanted it. The effort stemmed from a broad community effort that started at the grass roots level. The funds that were used were TIB funds (check it out) that are at a state and federal level. If Liberty Lake didn't capture these funds then some community on the West Side would have.

We're quite glad that the neighborhoods in Liberty Lake were scrappy enough to force their City staff to go after this money for these projects. Until the TIB system changes, your point about using gas taxes for these kinds of projects is moot. This is the system we have and it's about time the Spokane Region fights for its share. Don't blame cities in the Inland NW for making the most of it.