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Getting AroundGetting Around In Seattle
Metro Bus
The busses in Seattle are slow, unreliable, and kind of pricey (they underwent a price increase after some conservative jackass passed a pro-car initiative).
However, they’re what we got, and sometimes Seattle can be a little too hilly to ride everywhere all day.
If you have a bike and you want to take a bus, each bus is equipped with a bike rack that can hold two bikes. Drivers won’t let you take your bike onto the bus. You also can’t put your bike on the bike rack when you’re downtown in the “Free Ride Zone.”
The Free Ride Zone is the area of downtown where riding all the busses is free. However, you have to pay once you’ve gone outside this zone.
Pay attention to the sign at the front of the bus that says whether you pay when you enter or exit. It changes, depending on if the bus is coming from or going to downtown (coming from = pay as you leave, going to downtown, or busses that don’t go downtown = pay as you enter). Busses will generally be $1.75 (or $2.00 at peak hours), or $.75 if you’re 17 and younger (wink wink).
transit.metrokc.gov is the city’s bus website. It has schedules, and a particularly handy Trip Planner.
Bicycling in Seattle
Seattle is full of hills. Finding the best routes through neighborhoods and to other neighborhoods takes time, and it depends on your riding style. If you’d like a map of how to get around Seattle on a bicycle, visit any nearby bicycle shop and pick up the Seattle Bicycling Guide Map (http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikemaps.htm).
Here are some helpful routes:
* Georgetown <-> ID/Downtown:
Airport Way to 4th Ave, and vise versa. Very flat ride.
* ID <-> Central District:
Jackson St is a wide road without too many potholes, and is only a gradual incline (unlike nearby Yesler).
* Central District <-> Capitol Hill:
My favorite street is 19th Ave E. It’s flat the whole way, is residential, and doesn’t have many potholes. 23rd Ave E is also good, but is a heavily trafficked route. Once you to go the CD, head over to MLK for a bike lane that will take you farther south to the I-90 bike route and Rainier Valley.
* Capitol Hill <-> University District:
Interlaken Park, which is easy to find going from Cap Hill to UD (it’s on 19th), but more difficult to find on the way back. Otherwise to get to Cap Hill, take Roosevelt to Harvard, left on Roanoke, then right on 10th. Beware, it’s a big hill.
There’s also a good route from Cap Hill to the UD via Melrose Ave (right by I-5) that turns into a pedestrian path, then turns into Lakeview Blvd. Follow this under I-5, and keep going straight until it takes you back under I-5 and over to Harvard.
* Downtown <-> University District:
To get to the UD, take Virginia -> Fairview ->Eastlake -> Roosevelt. Reverse it to get back!
* Downtown <-> Queen Anne
Queen Anne is a huge hill with no easy way to get to the top. Sorry.
* Downtown <-> Fremont
Westlake Ave N is the most direct route, but has lots of cars. It’s pretty and right on the water, though.
* Ballard <-> Fremont/Wallingford/U-Dist
The Burke-Gilman Trail is the best commuter path for this route. To find it, just go downhill from these neighborhoods until you get to the water. Some spots are bumpy, so keep your eyes peeled. It’s also one of the most scenic routes in Seattle.
* Beacon Hill
The northernmost point of Beacon Hill has a nice little bridge that connects it to the ID at 12th Ave S, just south of Jackson St. This connects you to 15th Ave S, which will lead you straight south through Beacon Hill without much trouble.
* West Seattle
Ride under the West Seattle Bridge, passing Harbor Island on your right.
Bike Shops!
SEATTLE BIKE SHOPS FREEMONT: Wright Bros A rad bike co-op in the Freemont neighborhood that has been around since 1974. They are a great bike shop for cyclocross, road racing, offroad, and randonneurs. They have workshops, a co-op workspace and an affordable ($30 lifetime) membership. For more info on the Wright Brothers co-op, classes and/or membership, call or stop by the shop during business hours. Support ‘em! located at 219 N 36th St. where Greenwood Ave intersects with 36th. http://wrightbrotherscycleworks.com/ Free Range Bikes another for profit standard bike shop located in Freemont. instead of going to this shop you should just go across the street to Theo Chololate factory to take a tour of the factory dumpster. Then, go to the Wright Brothers Bicycle Co-op around the corner! 3501 Phinney Avenue N. 206.547.8407 http://freerangecycles.com/ Capitol Hill: Velo a for profit bike shop on Capitol Hill. standard bike shop with new and used bikes.They have weekly Sunday bike rides, but so do I. 1535 11th Ave. (206) 325-3292 Montlake: Montlake Bicycle Shop 2223 - 24th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 a decent local for profit bike shop in the Montlake neightborhood just north of the CD and South of the UD. new bikes, rentals, no used bikes. Monday - Friday 10 - 7 Saturday 9 - 5, Sunday 10 – 4
Downtown: Elliott Bay Cycles 2116 Western Ave. A small cool bike shop with the standard bike shop offerings located a little north of the Pike Place Market. Its also the home of Davidson bicycle frame builders. they do free frame fitting there! 10am-7pm - Monday - Friday 10am-6pm - Saturday 11am-4pm – Sunday Phone 206.441-8144 http://www.elliottbaybicycles.com/ Mobius Cycles www.mobiuscycles.com 1016 1st Ave, Fourth Floor alley entrance Downtown bike shop that has really awesome staff that are welcoming to everyone, and they host cheap bike classes every week (plus one/month for women and trans folk). BYOB. Support ‘em! Central District: 20/20 Cycles 2020 Union St in the Central District One of the best for-profit bike shops in town! great bikes. mostly used. Friendly and knowledgable staff. 20/20 is also host of many great shows. 206-568-3090 http://www.2020cycle.com/index.html Monday to Saturday12-6, Sunday 12-4 The Bikery 1265 S. Main St #104 (on 14th Ave S, between Main St and Jackson) (206) 568-3535 A sweet bike shop, resource center and non-profit dedicated to helping people learn/work on their bikes and getting more bikes on the road. Through a strong anti-oppression framework The Bikery creates a safe space for everyone. Cheap prices great smiles good times! Support this shop! Mondays is Queers Gears and Cheers! You can drop in and work on your bike in a Queer-identified space. All skill levels welcome, and tools and helpful hands provided. All identities welcome. Queers! Gears! & Cheers! is aimed at creating a more visible Queer presence in Seattle's bike culture and providing a fun, safe environment for underrepresented folks to become empowered through the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) theology. Check out other goings ons and workshops at The Bikery at: www.thebikery.org West Seattle: Aaron’s Bicycle Repair 6527 California AVE SW in West Seattle http://www.rideyourbike.com/ (206) 938-9795 Columbia City and Georgetown: Bike Works www.bikeworks.org 3709 s. Ferdinand 206-725-9408 Tues-Fri 11-7:00, Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 A fantastic non-profit bike shop offering maintenance classes and awesome programes for youth, including their “earn a bike” programs where kids learn to fix bikes and trade ttime working on bikes for one of their own! A great place for good prices and sweet road bikes! Support this bike shop! Haulin Colin www.haulincolin.com colin@haulincolin.com Colin builds “hand built, heavy duty, bicycle trailers” and is an active member of many bike projects around Seattle. Haulin’ Colin makes ultra utilitarian bicycles and is located in the Georgetown neighborhood,. Check out Haulin’ Colins website to get more info and to check out the trailers! Support Colin!
University District: The Bike Shack 901 NE 55th St www.bikeshack.org The Bike Shack is a bicycle collective in the University District that provides the knowledge and tools to help people fix their own bikes for Free or for a donation for parts. While you are there you might as well get some vegan grub at the Wayward Café that the Bike Shack is connected to. You should probably check their calender on their website to see when they are open! Support ‘em! Recycled Cycles 1007 Boat St 206-547-4491 Monday-Friday: 10:00am - 8:00pm Saturday-Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm www.recycledcycles.com This store has tons of used and new bikes and parts as well as equipment, clothing and accessories. They also have a messenger/ U-student discount, helpful staff and free coffee. R & E Cycles www.rodcycles.com 5627 University Way NE 206-527-4822 Locally owned small overpriced bike shop with good U District location and café. Did you get into an accident? you can report a bike accident here at Ghostcycles. They are a group of people trying to bring more attention to dangerous riding conditions and intersections. Maybe the city will use this information, maybe they won’t. www.ghostcycle.org/reportanaccident.php Did your bike get stolen? The list of stolen bikes is long. May it someday end. http://stolenbicycleregistry.com/listbikes.php?showby=city&city=Seattle
Ferries!
The Downtown Ferries
wsdot.wa.gov/ferries
@ pier 50 and 52
The ferries offer a slightly expensive but convenient way to get out of the city. Prices vary depending on where you go, and then you have to pay a little extra to bring your bike on board. On some routes you only have to pay one-way. If you bring bread with you, you can have fun with the seagulls while they fly close to the ferry and try to grab the bread from your hands. Or wear the bread as a hat and see what happens.
Elliot Bay Water Taxi runs May through September for $1.50 and goes between downtown and West Seattle.
Ferry from West Seattle to Vashon & Southworth
To Vashon (Fauntleroy Terminal):4829 SW Barton
Back to Seattle (Vashon Island Terminal): 10800 North Vashon
Vashon is a good Island to go to if you're really too lazy to drive up to the San Juan or BC islands. What's even better is the 15 minute, 3 dollar ferry ride up there. You get to enjoy the stinging, gusty blows of Seattle winds, and the uh… yummy ferry food. When you arrive, you can find a bunch of cute places and isolated fields. My advice is to go and experience the quiet that you won't experience in Seattle.
Other Guides/Getting Around Resources
If you’re looking for another print guide, the Lonely Planet Seattle is a good guide, though it’s a bit pricey. Here’s a few website that may be helpful.
lostinseattle.com
seattlewiki.org
seattle.citysearch.com
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