Pedestrian and Bicycle Progress Report

This report is a summary of the pedestrian and bicycle progress made from 2009 to 2022 as part of Bellevue’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan 2009. The improvements were funded as stand-alone projects, through ongoing capital programs such as the Neighborhood Enhancement Program, the Overlay Program and through the Development Review Process. Some facilities were constructed by WSDOT, or Sound Transit.

There were approximately 47.0 miles of pedestrian facilities in Bellevue constructed or upgraded from 2009 to 2023 – 29.5 miles of sidewalk, 13.6 miles of multi-use path, 2.6 miles of pedestrian path and 1.4 miles of shared shoulder. The graph on the left details pedestrian facilities completion by year.

The graph on the right shows the arterial sidewalk construction since 2009. 28.9 miles arterial sidewalks were added or upgraded from 2009 to 2023.

Through-block pedestrian connections provide an opportunity for increased pedestrian movement through superblocks in Downtown.

A through-block pedestrian connection are outdoors, except where it can only be accommodated indoors. They are developed as a walkway or a combination walkway and vehicular lane.

As of December 31, 2023, there were approximately 75 miles of pedestrian and multi-use trails located on park properties and public easements. This number does not include pedestrian facilities adjacent to city streets.

Trails provide recreation opportunities for walkers, bicyclists, joggers, skaters, and hikers. In addition, Bellevue’s trail system provides a physical link for citizens to enjoy our open space and greenway system.

There were approximately 83.6 miles of bicycle facilities constructed in Bellevue from 2009 to 2023 – 27.3 miles of bicycle lane, 19.5 miles of buffered bicycle lane, 1.0 mile of separated bicycle lanes, 0.3 mile of two-way bicycle lanes, 13.6 miles of multi-use path, 3.1 miles of bicycle shoulder, 1.8 miles of shared shoulder, and 17.1 miles of sharrows. The graph on the left details bicycle facilities completion by year.

Policy PB‐29 of Bellevue’s 2009 Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan directs the Transportation Department to span the city with two north-south and two east-west Priority Bicycle Corridors by 2019, and to complete one north-south and one east-west Priority Bicycle Corridor through Downtown by 2015. The graph below details Priority Bicycle Corridor completion status.

Of the north-south priority bicycle corridors, Enatai-Northtown Connection is 100% complete, followed by Lake Washington loop Trail at 94.0% completion. Of the east-west priority bicycle corridors, 520 Trail is the closest to completion at 78.4%, followed by Coal Creek-Cougar Mountain Connection at 70.5% completion.

Within Downtown, Enatai-Northtown Connection is 100% complete. The Downtown portion of Downtown-Overlake Connection is complete east of 112 ^th  Ave NE, 41.7% completion.

In the context of this Progress Report, “complete” means a corridor has been improved for use by people bicycling, typically with signage, bike lanes, shared lane markings, and/or off-street paths. “Complete” does not mean there is no need for additional improvement to make a corridor safer and more comfortable for a broader range of users, such as children and less confident adult riders.

The established goal stems from the 2009 Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan, which considers corridor completion in the context of implementing the specific projects it identified. Today, progress implementing pedestrian and bicycle networks is considered in relation to comfort and accessibility.  The Mobility Implementation Plan (MIP 2022)  sets Performance Targets for the quality of experience for people walking and bicycling along arterial streets in Bellevue based on the characteristics and context of the street and the type of facility. Non-arterial streets provide important neighborhood connections but the MIP does not establish Performance Targets established for the neighborhood system.