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December 9, 2011 in City
Shawn Vestal: Completing streets might prevent more ghosts
They call them Ghost Bikes.
You’ve likely seen them around town over the past year or so: bikes painted all white, chained to a post or fence. They memorialize, in a simple, powerful way, cyclists who died on Spokane’s streets: Matthew Hardie, David Squires, Frank Red Thunder, David Widener …
The Ghost Bikes began showing up around Spokane last year during a spate of deaths in car-bike crashes. City Councilman Jon Snyder put up the first one at Sprague and Division, in memory of Squires, who was hit and killed by a driver in March 2010. Snyder left it up for a year. Others have come and gone – different individuals put up the bikes as somber reminders of what can happen when people don’t watch out for each other on the road.
Most of the Ghost Bikes are gone, for now. But there are two good reasons to bring them back to mind: A new batch of statistics that reinforces the fact that Spokane’s rate of injuries for walkers and bikers is higher than average, and an upcoming City Council vote on a proposal to take a big step forward in committing to safety for walkers and bikers on Spokane’s streets.
“I think we have some unfinished business in providing safety and facilities for bike and pedestrian transportation users,” said Snyder, who has been a leading proponent of improving city streets for nonmotorized users.Last week, the Spokane Regional Health Department issued a new report compiling a broad range of health statistics for the county, titled Spokane Counts. The report showed that Spokane County’s rate of bicycle/pedestrian collisions with autos is higher than the state average, at about 54 wrecks per 100,000 people each year between 2006 and 2009.
Between 2003 and 2009, more than 2,000 people in the county wound up in the emergency room for injuries suffered while walking or biking.
Every one of those cases involves different circumstances, of course, and no road work project will eliminate all risk. But a lot of Spokane streets are notably unfriendly to anything but cars, and the council is set to vote on a program, Complete Streets, that would require the city to make sure that bicyclists, pedestrians and bus riders are considered in road projects. A significant portion of residents here either don’t or can’t drive, and our streets need to be open to them, too. That means sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, bike lanes and other considerations that tend to make it into our lofty plans more often than they show up on our actual streets.
The City Council already adopted a resolution supporting the idea back in April 2010. The city’s comprehensive plan includes a variety of policies encouraging alternative modes of transportation. All that remains is for the Plan Commission to consider the ordinance, which it is set to do Wednesday, and for a City Council vote on Dec. 19.
There are, of course, objections to the proposal, ranging from questions about costs to general surliness about bicyclists. And there’s a legislative beef that some people have – feeling that Snyder and others are rushing Complete Streets to a vote before a less bicycle-friendly majority and new mayor come sliding into office in the not-too-distant future.
Nancy McLaughlin fears that, in a time of tight budgets and street-repair backlogs, now is not the time for expensive “amenities.” She also says the ordinance is rife with inflexible mandates that will force costly changes onto simple projects.
“It’s ‘shall,’ ‘shall,’ ‘shall,’ ‘shall,’ ‘shall,’ ” she said.
Snyder says the ordinance is less drastic than that, with exceptions for cases where the addition of bike lanes, pedestrian improvements or other changes would be too costly or impractical. The ordinance would require the inclusion of Complete Streets provisions in any major city road project but not minor, routine maintenance, he said.
I’m not much of a biker or a walker, truth be told, but it has seemed to me that Spokane is a little extra hostile, in general, toward people who don’t constantly want to mount the SUV. A friend and colleague tells a hilarious story about biking to work one day when he was flipped off – not once, but twice – by the same nice-looking octogenarian lady in the passenger seat of a car.
In between the two flights of that bird, the biker and the driver passed a Ghost Bike.
In addition to questions of attitude, there’s the on-the-ground reality. Take a walk somewhere in Spokane. You’re lucky if you don’t find yourself strolling on a street. Pull a kid in a wagon to the park – you’ll find yourself wondering whether you ought to be using hand signals at the corners. The Ghost Bikes remind us about the biking deaths, but it’s worth remembering that the fatality rate of walkers in Spokane is disturbingly high, as well.
Complete Streets is heading for a vote Dec. 19. McLaughlin said Snyder and the council majority are rushing this thing through before a new mayor and majority take over, and between now and next year there is sure to be plenty of political wrangling over this ordinance. I like the goals of Complete Streets, and this ordinance seems less draconian than opponents fear.
And if it does indeed turn out to be the killer of all pothole fillers, then I suspect the good people at the city will find ways to deal with that.
For any number of good reasons, it’s in the city’s best interest to make it safer and easier to get around without car. Then maybe, someday, the number of Ghost Bikes will diminish.
“I’d like the number to be zero,” Snyder said.
Shawn Vestal can be reached at (509) 459-5431 or shawnv@ spokesman. com. Follow him on Twitter at @vestal13.
The draw of the unknowable 
AnalyzeThat on December 09 at 6:34 a.m.
We have several main arterials in town where bicycles should not be allowed, ie Division, Monroe, Sprague, just to name a few. Before the Council passes this proposal, they also need to identify the streets around town that will be excluded from the Complete Streets proposal.
Not all incidents involving pedestrians or bikes are the car drivers fault, though this article implies such. Before the Council makes a final decision on this, they need to also come up with a plan for enforcement of pedestrian/bicycles laws, ie no jaywalking, riding without a helmet, riding a bike against traffic, etc.
kittyklitzke on December 09 at 7:25 a.m.
Here here! Thanks for putting a different perspective into this discussion!
AnalyzeThat
You are correct about Division, Monroe, and major sections of Sprague. But your concern has already been addressed in the ordinance. It does not call for all modes to have facilities on every street, it refers back to the comprehensive plan. Specifically the Master Bicycle Plan when it comes to bike infrastructure. The plan calls for bike facilities on about half of one percent of streets. What it calls for ranges from mere route signage, to sharrows, to lanes. You can check what streets are identified for bike facilities on the cities website www.spokaneplanning.org. Look for the Bike Master Plan. The city is also planning to update it in 2012 with the rest of the transportation chapter. So you may want to get involved with that. The goal of complete streets is for everyone to have a route, and since cyclists have a longer range than pedestrians to they can benefit greatly from a network that does not include all streets, but rather focuses on a network of routes that gets them close to major destinations safely.
As far as law enforcement. We do have laws in place for that. And police have been ticketing. Also the Spokane Regional Health District is conducting an educational campaign about the rules of the road for all modes called Spokane Moves Safely. You can check it out here http://stickmanknows.org/.
Jethro_toll on December 09 at 7:32 a.m.
Another sad social engineering joke.
So anyone seen Sean’s backside on two wheels?
So when it snows can we get the ski lanes painted in too?
tomnsahl on December 09 at 9:27 a.m.
Thanks Sean for “the rest of the story” regarding the ghost bikes. After living in bike/pedestrian friendly Olympia and returning to Spokane I can attest to improved interactions on my rides and SHARING THE ROAD attitudes from more drivers.
I hope that the “Complete Streets” concept allows for more inclusive input from all road users, but the headline writer did not help coney the true gist of your article :((
Kitty - be careful touting the “Master Bicycle Plan”. When first proposed, I uncovered deception from SRTC and DOT bosses that included using Pearl Street as a bicycle corridor, even though much of it had already being deeded to businesses for parking, Gonzaga for a new building - and then there is the dead end @ Camp !! I look forward to seeing the new plan.
ALL OF US are responsible to make the roads safer and it is true that cyclists and pedestrians share blame for many avoidable collisions. Cops, especially Traffic Units have done a good job balancing education and enforcement with pedestrian “stings” but have not yet found a similar effort to crack down on bicyclists who break the law.
terrymr on December 09 at 9:46 a.m.
I see far more cars violating crosswalk laws than I do people jay walking. Nobody observes the one half of the roadway or all of the lanes in a particular direction rules they just try to rush around pedestrians with a couple of feet to spare.
brianrbreen on December 09 at 9:53 a.m.
@terrymr
I’m with you on that. I don’t know how many times I’ve darn near been hit with the right of way, or just stepping of the curb with a walk sign and a driver turning on red.
tomnsahl on December 09 at 10:19 a.m.
To both of my SENIOR friends who just posted - I still have the PED BEE charts that will help you determine how long it takes you to shuffle across the roadway … just sayin :))
mtharves on December 09 at 10:23 a.m.
I would agree that there is a serious problem in Spokane with foot-bike-car interactions. The right turn on red lights vs pedestrians is a real problem. We need some creative solutions to increase safety for all. Many cities use the bright hand-held flag system at crosswalks to help with visibility. Some places use the 4-way red light at intersections to allow crossing in all directions, including diagonally, at once. Anybody else have ideas?
brianrbreen on December 09 at 10:27 a.m.
@tomsahl
I can tell you haven’t walked for a while the have these new spiffy lights that give you a count down. Though there aren’t enough of them, and for terrymr who never could count they have these beeper functions on some of the lights.
reservedparking on December 09 at 11:41 a.m.
Bicyclists need to quit blowing through red lights and stop signs, as well as learn some lane discipline.
No, as a matter of fact, you do NOT own the whole darn road!
Same road, same rules. Then maybe they get a bit more respect.
wentz on December 09 at 12:50 p.m.
Not to mention dangerous sidewalks that need to be fixed. Try walking around the lower south hill after dusk. I’ve broken bones triping on uneven, broken sidewalks with little or no lighting provided by streetlamps.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on December 09 at 2:12 p.m.
I am a ‘senior’ and stepping down onto Grand Blvd between 17th and 23rd is taking your life in your hands.. there is enough cash flow from fast cars getting tickets there to fund all sorts of city programs… when I do Step Down..into the lane of traffic it is often a clear bluff… to see whether i am going to be allowed to cross… i usually prevail… but it does get close sometimes…and the looks from the drivers that are supposed to be doing 20MPH for five blocks is pretty awful…. I do limp a bit… but not with a cane yet… cross walks are a joke in this town… it is a big risk to go for a morning scone at the Rockwood Bakery…john
kittyklitzke on December 09 at 4:24 p.m.
tomnsahl;
I agree that the Bicycle Master Plan needs the update and the citizen input. There is also a pedestrian plan underway and seeking input. And you are correct, all of these transportation plans need extensive public participation and input to be accurate and effective. Judging by the incoming administration’s early efforts at gathering public input (which is the only thing I have to go on) I think there is reason to hope the city will continue to welcome citizen review and participation. Luckily state law also requires it.
AnalyzeThat on December 10 at 7:51 a.m.
The key, whether from a car, bike or pedestrian viewpoint is ENFORCEMENT of the applicable laws, which obviously is lacking in this city.