Page last updated:  February 2020

Overview

Travel by bicycle is a popular transportation option and recreational activity. The City of Shoreline Bicycle Plan, adopted as part of the 2011 Transportation Master Plan (TMP), outlines priorities, policies, and goals for bicycle transportation throughout the City.

The Bicycle Plan reflects the City’s vision for a complete bicycle system. Illustrating this vision, the 2011 Bicycle System Plan map identifies the location and facility type for existing and future bicycle facilities in Shoreline. Updates to this 2011 plan are expected in 2021 with an updated TMP and will include such facilities as the Trail Along the Rail.

The City of Shoreline Complete Streets ordinance builds on the idea that a street serves many purposes, and in this way supports a strong bicycle network. Per Ordinance 755, the City shall, to the maximum extent practicable:

  • Plan for, design, construct, operate, and maintain an appropriate and integrated multi-modal transportation system.
  • Accommodate the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and users of all ages and abilities.
  • Include multi-modal elements in new construction, retrofit, and reconstruction projects of public streets.
  • Design a system to be supportive of the community, recognizing that transportation needs vary and must be balanced in a flexible, safe, and cost-effective manner.

Bicycle Facilities

Bicycle facilities in Shoreline include bicycle lanes, sharrows, shared-use paths, and signage for bicycle routes. These bicycle facilities are included in many of the City’s Capital Improvement Projects and can be part of a much larger road project or projects specifically designed for bicycle improvements. Striping for bicycle lanes or installation of other pavement markings can also occur in conjunction with the City’s annual road resurfacing program where the planned overlays coincide with bicycle routes or re-channelization of the roadway allows for bicycle lanes.

 
 Current Built Bicycle System

 

145th Street Off-Corridor Bike Network

Initially conceived during the 145th Street Multimodal Corridor Study, the Off-Corridor Bike Network is a collection of quieter, slower-paced streets that are intended to provide bicyclists and pedestrians with alternate, parallel routes to 145th Street as well as key connections to the future Shoreline South/145th light rail station, Interurban Trail, and Burke-Gilman Trail. Improvements to these streets will include bicycle facilities such as pavement markings (e.g. sharrows or bike lanes) and signage.

Currently, the western portion of the Off-Corridor Bike Network between Interstate 5 (I-5) and the Interurban Trail is being designed as part of the 145th Street Corridor Project. The proposed route is generally located on low volume streets where cars go slow enough to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to feel safe and comfortable.

The proposed route will run along portions of 148th Street, Corliss Avenue, 150th Street, Ashworth Avenue, 157th Street, Midvale Avenue, 160th Street, and connect to the Interurban Trail in Shoreline. This portion of the Off-Corridor Bike Network will make connections to and from 145th Street and the future 148th Street Non-Motorized Bridge, which will directly connect pedestrians and bicyclists to the future Shoreline South/145th Station and the Trail Along the Rail. Additional connections will be coordinated to tie-in to Seattle’s bike network.

The City’s goal is to build this western portion of the Off-Corridor Bike Network prior to the opening of the Shoreline South/145th Station in 2024.

The Off-Corridor Bike Network fits into the broader regional pedestrian and bicycle network where it intersects a signed bike route between the Interurban and Burke-Gilman Trails known as the Interurban/Burke-Gilman Trails South Bike Connector.

Presently, the City doesn’t have funding to design or build the eastern portion of the Off-Corridor Bike Network between I-5 and the Burke-Gilman Trail. However, the City will continue to seek opportunities to incrementally build the full vision of the Off-Corridor Bike Network.

Ongoing or Recent Studies/Projects Reviewing Bicycle Facilities