Tag Archives: Summer Streets

Upcoming events for transit types

What: Free train rides to celebrate the opening of light rail in Seattle (!!!)
When: July 18, 2009 (Rides start at 10 AM)
Where: All stations (Ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:20 at Mount Baker Station)
How much? Free!

Seattle Summer Streets (formerly known as Carfree Sundays) July events

What: Car-free, locally organized street festivals
“Walk. Bike. Shop. Play. Breathe. City streets are being opened for people to have fun, celebrate the spirit and personality of their community and support local businesses.”

Event: U-District Chamber’s Summer Streets Party
Date: Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: University Way Northeast between Northeast 50th and Northeast 45th streets.

Event: Pike Place Market’s Fresh Fruit Festival and Summer Streets Party
Date: Sunday, July 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Pike Street/First Avenue to Virginia

How much? Free!

Seattle Century bike ride*

What: A 100- (or, if you choose, 50-) mile scenic bike ride through our lovely Puget Sound region.
“The fully supported and catered routes offer beautiful views of the communities surrounding Seattle, tasty food along the way, rest stops every 15 miles and a finish line gourmet dinner with free beer and live music in the gardens at Magnuson Park.”
Yes, please.
Where: Check map for start locations.
How much? Registration costs vary ($60-$80 for adults), but proceeds benefit Seattle Bike Works.

*OK, so this isn’t technically for transit types, but since lots of bus riders are bike/bus types, I figured I’d include it. Plus, it’s the kind of ride that even a non-cycling, terrified-of-riding-in-traffic walk/bus type like yours truly could probably manage. (Of course, I’ll manage pretty much anything that involves delicious food, but hey.)

Upcoming events for transit types

Transportation Freedom Day*
*Added on 3/13/09

What: A celebration with a purpose: to educate Seattleites about their transportation costs

How much does transportation cost you?
Walking/Biking: Free
Metro Bus Fare: $1.75
Gallon of Gasoline: $2.17
Days the average Seattleite works to pay for yearly transportation costs: 74
Helping Seattle celebrate an earlier Transportation Freedom Day: Priceless

Your transportation costs could surprise you. In the average household, transportation accounts for the second largest drain on family budgets; more than food, health care, and second only to home ownership.

If fact, every dollar you earned from January 1st until March 15th will ultimately go towards your transportation costs for the year. That’s why we’re raising awareness by celebrating Seattle’s Transportation Freedom Day!

When: Sunday, March 15th, 3 – 4 PM
Where: Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club, 4520 MLK Jr. Way S. (Served by routes 39, 42, and 48)
How much? Free

Did I mention there will be cake?

Seattle Green Festival

What: A “green living” expo!
“Discover some of the best green products and services the Northwest has to offer. And, through Seattle Climate Action Now!, Clean & Green Seattle, and the city’s many other climate projects, you’ll learn how neighbors, community nonprofits and city departments are working together to make their city a healthier place to live.”

When: March 28, 10 AM – 7 PM & March 29, 11 AM – 6 PM
Where: Washington State Convention Center
How much? $15 ($10 for cyclists and bus riders)

This was great fun last year. I’d be attending again, even if I wasn’t participating in the “Undriving” panel.

Climate Day for Kids

What: An Earth Day celebration, where kids (and adults) can “learn about climate change and what actions [to] take to reduce your carbon footprint. Create green art using recycled materials, and explore games and exhibits from SAM partners.”

When: April 18, 12 PM – 3 PM
Where: Olympic Sculpture Park
How much? Free!

I’m planning to take Chicklet. She doesn’t know what global warming is yet, but she’s down with anything that involves playing outside.

Seattle Summer Streets (formerly known as Carfree Sundays)

When: Many, many dates throughout the spring and summer. The first one (in Phinney) is on April 10th. See below.
Where: Lots o’ neighborhoods! (Though not mine yet.) See below.
How much? Free!

I went to all of these last year and (except for some minor weather issues) thoroughly enjoyed myself. If you’re fortunate enough to have one in your neighborhood, you should really, really take advantage.

Here’s all the date and place info from the City:

Event: The Greenwood/Phinney Chamber’s Art Up/Open Up Summer Streets Party
Date: Friday, April 10, 6 to 9 p.m.
Location: Phinney/Greenwood Avenue North from North 65th to North 87th streets

Event: Cascade Bicycle Club’s Bike to Work Day and Summer Streets Party
Date: Friday, May 15, 4 to 7 p.m.
Location: Bergen Place Park and 22nd Avenue Northwest between Market Street and Ballard Avenue

Event: West Seattle High School PTSA’s 5K Run/Alki and Seattle Summer Streets Party
Date: Sunday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: Alki Avenue Southwest from California Way Southwest to 63rd Avenue Southwest

Event: Seattle Parks Summer Streets Party
Date: Sunday, June 7, 14, 21 and 28
Location: Discovery Park (7th), Interlaken Park (14th), Seward Park (21st), Magnuson Park (28th)

Event: U-District Chamber’s Summer Streets Party
Date: Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: University Way Northeast between Northeast 50th and Northeast 45th streets.

Event: Pike Place Market’s Fresh Fruit Festival and Summer Streets Party
Date: Sunday, July 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Pike Street/First Avenue to Virginia

Event: Rainier Valley Chamber’s Heritage Parade and Summer Streets Party
Date: Saturday, Aug. 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Rainier Avenue South from South Orcas to South Alaska streets

Event: Cascade Bicycle Club’s Restore Our Waters Cascade Spawning Cycling Tour
Date: Sunday, Sept. 20, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Starts and ends at Myrtle Edwards Park, goes through Seattle Parks non-motorized areas of Seward, Interlaken, Gasworks, Commodore and Discovery Parks.

Event: Visit a park with permanently open streets and Celebrate Seattle Summer Streets
Date: May through September
Location: Volunteer Park, Seward Park, Interlaken, Magnuson Lakefront Promenade, Arboretum, Discovery Park

Also during the months of May through September, Bicycle Sundays are being held along Lake Washington Boulevard every weekend. Seward Park’s upper road and Carkeek Park Road west of the Environmental Learning Center are being closed to cars on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July Golden Transfer

This month’s Golden Transfer goes (for the second time) to the city I’m proud to call home, the S-E-A double-T L-E (don’t trip; you know you have that CD lurking somewhere in the depths of your music collection), Seattle, Washington, USA. On three consecutive Sundays this summer, Seattle will close some streets to cars.

• On Aug. 24, 14th Avenue East will be closed from East Republican Street to Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill from noon to 6 p.m. The park’s Western Loop will also be car-free.
• Rainier Avenue South will be closed between Orcas and Alaska streets on Aug. 31 from 3-6 p.m.
• Alki Avenue in West Seattle will be closed to motor vehicles from noon to 6 p.m on Sept. 7

Pinch me…I must be dreaming! The only way this could be better is if one of those streets was the one in front of my house. (OK, there are many ways it could be better–more streets, more hours, more Sundays–but I can definitely work with this.)

Some business owners are feeling salty (not to mention caught off guard) and are afraid they’ll lose business if their customers cannot drive to them.

“We might as well close for the day,” said Joe Fraser, general manager of Duke’s Chowder House on Alki. West Seattle is one of the neighborhoods affected.

“Closing the street for construction, I can understand. But closing the street just for the sake of closure, that does not seem well thought out,” he said.

Fraser said summer Sundays are among the restaurant’s best days, when customers come from throughout the region for dining on the deck or sidewalk.

(Source: Seattle PI)

I’m guessing they’ll be surprised by the number of people (people who actually live in the neighborhood, for example) who come out to enjoy our streets on foot, bikes, skateboards, and et cetera. I, for, one, will be hitting up all three of these events, and, as we learned earlier today, car-free types have plenty of cash to spare.

So thanks to my city, for stepping out there just a little bit, and for giving me hope that it will be a place little Chicklet will grow up to love as much as I do.

The 2-0-sickness, as experienced from the EBWT

How you like us now, Portland? (Sorry–that just came out. It’s all love.)