[Ebbc-Talk] Amazon Will Fund Protected Bike Lane Next to New Seattle Headquarters | Streetsblog Capitol Hill 8/20/1013

http://dc.streetsblog.org/2013/08/20/amazon-will-fund-protected-bike-lane-n=
ext-to-new-seattle-headquarters/

Amazon Will Fund Protected Bike Lane Next to New Seattle Headquarters
Here=92s another case of a top company that sees safe streets for biking as=
 talent recruitment tool. One of America=92s largest retailers is chipping =
in to make cycling more appealing at its new headquarters in downtown Seatt=
le.





The Seattle Times writes that Amazon is =93raising the stakes for what comp=
anies can do to encourage bicycle commuting.=94 Amazon will also include 40=
0 stalls for bike parking in each of its three towers, the Times reports. T=
hat is about triple the city=92s minimum requirement.

John Schoettler, Amazon director of global real estate and facilities, told=
 the Times the company is excited to be part of the improvement. =93Cyclist=
s are part of the fabric of Seattle, and so we=92re thrilled to be creating=
 a new cycle track that will make the ride to and from downtown safer and e=
asier for all cyclists in the community,=94 he said.

The city of Seattle aims to build 100 miles of protected bike lanes. Curren=
tly it has only one mile, but more are under construction. The upgrades to =
the Seventh Avenue bike lane will serve as a demonstration project. The pro=
tected lane will be separated from traffic by a row of trees, according to =
the Times.

Seattle=92s City Traffic Engineer Dongho Chang (coolest traffic engineer ev=
er?) told the Times he wishes the city could have this type of street desig=
n soon =93at all locations downtown.=94

This type of public-private partnership on sustainable transportation proje=
cts =97 where the private sector partner is a company that chips in without=
 making a loan =96 is not without precedent, and is becoming something of a=
 trend. New Balance is funding the construction of a new $16 million commut=
er rail station near its headquarters in Boston. And Apple helped fund the =
renovation of a Chicago train station.


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