I-5 Detour Info for People on Bicycles

Bike travel information for getting around I-5 detour/closure based on tips from area riders. Send suggestions for bike-friendly routes to Barb Chamberlain (Director of WSDOT Active Transportation Division) and feedback on any of these routes you use.
I-5 shoulders are expected to remain closed for repair for some time.
Bike travel: People on bikes will encounter heavy traffic on alternate routes used by drivers detouring around the I-5 closure. Exercise your usual care in selecting a route that is appropriate and comfortable for you. We recommend you review maps and terrain to familiarize yourself with the route you plan to use and allow extra time.
Options for biking (southbound description):
SR7/SR507/Yelm-Tenino Trail
Use SR 7 to SR 507. In Yelm you can access the Yelm-Tenino Trail, which connects to the Chehalis-Western Trail. See the Thurston County Bicycle Map for details.
Mounts Road/Old Pacific Highway SE/SR 510
From I5 exit into DuPont. Travel west from Center Drive on McNeil St. (multiuse sidepath/sidewalk available). Turn left on Hoffman Hill Blvd. (sidewalk available) and be prepared for a climb. Continue on Hoffman Hill Blvd. past the “No Outlet” sign, which applies only to drivers; cross Swan Loop Road, continue onto the multi-use path and pass through the pedestrian gate to Mounts Rd. SW. Go left and follow Mounts Road (narrow road, no shoulder for a stretch). After it crosses I-5 and becomes Nisqually Rd SW (Old Pacific Hwy SE) the road has a shoulder. Stay on Nisqually to SR510.
JBLM
From I-5 take exit 118. Cross the overpass over I-5, go through the Center Dr. Gate (where Center Dr dead-ends if you don’t turn to go northbound on I5) onto JBLM, turn right on Perimeter Rd., and then be directed on the I-5 Southbound Detour. Don’t use exit 119 and try to enter JBLM through the DuPont Gate; you will be turned around. Note that this route does not have a shoulder.
Barb Chamberlain
Director – Active Transportation Division
WA State Dept. of Transportation
Seattle: 206-716-1130
Olympia: 360-704-6386

·  What is your age, roughly speaking?

32
·  What is your occupation or area of study?
I'm a Parking Services Field Representative for the City of Oly.
·  How many years have you been getting around by bike?
I've always loved riding my bike, but my midwestern hometown is notoriously awful for practical cycling. I dabbled in practical cycling in college and began earnestly commuting by bike right after college.

Top Team Results are in:

See what the top teams in BCC 2017 accomplished in miles and days ridden, new riders recruited, and average days ridden per rider! Results are on our Top Teams BCC.30 page, here:
http://thurstonbcc.blogspot.com/p/top-team-results-bcc-2017.html

Coupon Correction:

We printed the wrong phone number on Old School Pizzeria's BCC coupon. The correct phone number is 786-9640. Apologies to both Old School, and the downtown Y, whose phone number we put there by mistake!

2017 BCC Rider Profile #4: Susan

I am no “professional” yet but I have really enjoyed getting back to riding. I am also discovering that there is a huge community of riders, which makes it feel great to be a part of.

What is your age, roughly speaking? 28 years old
What is your occupation or area of study? I work for the SOS Charities Program & Study Nonprofit Management at Bellevue University
How many years have you been getting around by bike? My husband bought me my first adult bike recently. Haven’t owed a bike since I was a kid, it was pink with training wheels and streamers. YIKES
What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)? I now have 3 step kids and 4 nephews who love riding bikes and they got me back into it. I also found it to be therapeutic to go for a nice slow ride on my own when I have a hard day. It’s healthy and inexpensive therapy.

BCC 2017 Accomplishments

1600 people and 85 teams signed up for the BCC this year during the month of May (Bike Month). Together we:

• Pedaled 93,328 miles, on 11,222 total days of biking.
• Prevented approximately 46 tons of CO2 from entering our atmosphere.
• Enhanced our personal health and well-being.
• Reduced traffic and parking congestion.
• Reduced air pollution and toxic run-off into Puget Sound.
• Made life safer for birds, animals and humans crossing the street.
• Supported our local economy by using our BCC coupons at local sponsor businesses, and shopping close to where we live and work.
• Built community with events like the Earth Day Market Ride and Bike To Work Day.
• Had fun riding our bikes!

Team results coming soon...

Road Repair on Division St. June 21-22

Starting Wednesday, June 21, City of Olympia crews will close the northbound lane of Division Street, NW between Walnut Road and Muirhead Avenue to remove and replace asphalt damaged during a previous water main break. Work will begin at approximately 8 a.m., and is expected to be completed by 5 p.m. Crews will close the southbound lane on Thursday, June 22, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to make similar repairs. One travel lane will remain open and flaggers will direct foot, bicycle, and car traffic through the area. Please use caution and expect delays when traveling in the area. This work is weather-dependent.

Contact:
Mike Darrah, Lead Worker, Street Operations
360.753.8438
mdarrah@ci.olympia.wa.us

BCC 2017 Trip Reporting Deadline

Remember, tomorrow (Friday, June 16) is the last day to enter your BCC trips online or return your Mileage Log! You'll receive these fabulous coupons, and we'll enter you to win amazing prizes!

2017 BCC Rider Profile #3: Jelena

Here is  Jelena's story in her own words:

So, when I'm biking it is a bit tiring to bike, but I like feeling the wind on my face and being able to go up hills and down hills. I especially like biking because me and my dad go riding through the park and I like seeing the scenery as I ride by. Especially on sunny days because then I can feel the warm sun on my face while I ride.
I used to not like to ride, but ever since the biking program (Bikes in PE program, ed.) they showed me how to ride my bike and now I like it. I didn't used to like it because I didn't know how and it was a chore to learn. Ms. Steen made it easy and fun! So now I love riding my bike all the time. I ride my bike to school every day since the bike to school challenge.
And a note from Jelena's mom:
The rest of the family really enjoys riding bikes but Jelena never liked it and really struggled learning. I thought I had tried everything so I gave up and decided it was okay if she didn't ride. I was very skeptical when I heard about the bike program but after talking to Ms Steen I trusted her to help Jelena without pushing her. I was so thrilled when Jelena started riding and even more so that she was excited about it! I don't mind dropping off and picking up her trombone everyday because she's riding her bike!

I've been logging my trips, what now?

The mileage logging part of the 30th Annual BCC has come to a close, so what happens next?

• If you haven't logged all your May BCC trips yet, you still can until Friday, June 16. Only trips made in May will count towards the BCC.
• If you have been using a "legacy" paper Mileage Log, please return it by Friday, June 16. Turn it in at the Olympia Transit Center, or mail it to: BCC c/o Intercity Transit PO Box 659 Olympia, WA 98507-0659
• Once you log your trips on the website (click blue button at right) or turn in your Mileage Log, we'll mail your rewards coupons, and enter you to win prizes! Coupons will start mailing out late in the week of June 4. If you win a prize in one of our random drawings, we'll notify you by email.
• Once all the results are in (after June 16), we'll tally and post Team Results.
• Come to the Prize Hoopla at the Olympia Farmers Market at 9:30 am sharp, on Saturday, June 24 to celebrate! Team and Individual Prizewinners can collect their prizes at the Hoopla, or we'll mail them to those who can't make it.
• Keep on pedaling, and hope to see you at the Hoopla!

2017 BCC Rider Profile Number 2- Maxine

Maxine on her bike in Portland

As the librarian for the Olympia Mountaineers, I make sure that we have a great selection of books for cycling, including how-to’s for Urban Cycling and great maps for biking in Europe, USA, and elsewhere.  I love to help people get started in biking especially those who don’t seem to be “the type”.  I was an earlier “adopter” of Warm Showers, and have virtually never driven to work over my entire career.   A late bloomer, I was the last kid in my neighborhood who could balance on a bike. While in high school in Maryland,  I heard of some kids who had biked to Canada. I was enthralled! For years I couldn’t find anyone to tour with, so finally I just went by myself…took 20 years to work up the desire enough to not worry about having a partner. My first bike tour was for 3 months, alone, camping, in Europe.  I have never stopped since then. For that first tour I starting in Warsaw and biked through Lithuania to my Grandmother’s home town (think 1899) in Latvia.  It was hard to find maps, so I just used a compass. Towns were too far apart so I slept in fields.   I’m not strong or fast, but, who cares? Smile, you can go biking! 

Bike Month Wraps up May 31!

May 31 is the last day to count your biking miles in the BCC!

•  BCC ends: Wednesday, May 31, 11:59pm

• Last day to enter miles retroactively: Friday, June 16, 11:59pm

The weather outlook (if that is a factor for you) is somewhat nicer for tomorrow, so how about biking to work, and then biking somewhere for lunch? Or just doing a nearby errand by bike? Add some miles to your 2017 BCC total, and pull for your team if you're on one. Let's make it a great year for the BCC, for our 30th birthday!

Black River Prairies and Farms Bike Ride

 Grab your bike shorts, your bike, and head out to the Black River watershed for a 9 mile or 26 mile bike ride past prairies and working farms!
Saturday, June 10, starting at 10 AM
South Thurston County
On offer are two bike routes, a 9 mile loop and a 26 mile ride. Both rides will begin at Little Rock Saloon. Riders will travel north up Endicott Rd SW and loop west to Mima Mounds Natural Preserve Area on Waddell Creek Rd SW. There is a hill at the beginning and returns to mostly flat ground after that. There will be a bathroom stop and snack/water station available at Mima Mounds Natural Preserve Area about 7 miles into the ride. Riders have the option of exploring Mima Mounds Natural Preserve Area. From there, riders can head back to Little Rock Saloon or continue heading south on Mima Road SW for an additional 17 miles of scenery past Capitol Land Trust properties and Glacial Heritage Preserve.
To sign up: https://capitollandtrust.org/black-river-prairies-and-farms-bike-ride/
This is not a BCC or Intercity Transit sponsored ride.

One Full Week Left in Bike Month!

There's only a little over week left to track your bicycle travels in the 30th Annual Bicycle Commuter Challenge, so make sure to log in and add your rides to get your rewards coupons and get entered to win prizes!
The BCC is about using your bicycle to get around- wherever you may be going. So log your trips to the grocery, out to the movies, or over to a friend's for dinner- and of course your trips to work or school. Let's show Thurston County (and the world!) that bicycling is a great way to get around. 
If you're on a team, logging your trips ups your team's chances of winning prizes too!

2017 Rider Profile and Tribute: Rick Kunkle, 1962 - 2017

On March 3, 2017 Rick Kunkle died at age 55 of a rare form of brain cancer. His most recent commuting bike has every BCC sticker going back to 2000. We are pretty sure Rick rode in just about every Bicycle Commuter Contest since it began thirty years ago. He commuted on his bicycle year round for most of his life. It was just one of the ways he lived his convictions of the importance of living lightly and sustainably.
His love of bicycling started early.  His first large purchase which he saved and saved for was a ten speed bike.  He also gathered old bikes and parts to build his sister a bike. He was always very thorough in cleaning, working on the brakes and gears or getting professional tune ups.
For over 30 years Rick commuted to the Washington State Energy Office and later the Washington State University Energy Program where he worked as a research engineer to study and improve energy efficiency programs in Washington State and around the country.

BCC Begins: Sign up now and leave the spaceship at home!

The 30th Annual Thurston County Bicycle Commuter Challenge begins May 1, and runs for the whole month of May. Sign up now and participate anytime in May to receive awesome coupons and free passes in the mail, and get entered to win awesome prizes! Stay tuned for details about National Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 19.

BCC T-shirts Available Now

A limited number of 30th Anniversary BCC t-shirts with the theme "Challenge Accepted" are on sale now at the Olympia Transit Center, 222 State Ave E. in downtown Olympia for only $10.
Get yours while they last!  
OTC is open 6:30am to 7pm weekdays and 9am to 7pm on weekends.

Pedal Power Bike Expo Wed April 26

Get a running start on National Bike Month (May) at the

Pedal Power Bike Expo

Wednesday, April 26^th  from 10:30 to 1:00

Natural Resources Building Rotunda 

(venue change due to weather)

Free to all

Pedal Power is a unique opportunity to learn more about meeting your transportation needs by bike! It’s easier than you think and helps build a healthy activity into your daily routine.

Free bike safety checkups – bring your bike and get help getting it ready to ride! (Minor adjustments and advice only.) Free bike workshops by a League of American Bicyclists-certified trainer. Get practice putting a bike on the Intercity Transit bus in a no-stress environment! Check out the latest bikes, including cargo bikes and electric-assist bikes and take a free test ride on the test track!  Meet exhibitors from Seattle and Portland, sign up for the Bicycle Commuter Challenge (BCC) and check out the new t-shirt! Check out Walk N Roll and find out how to make your car a Pace Car! Enjoy free coffee samples from Batdorf and Bronson, sample juice from Zoe’s Juice Bar, and get a great deal on a BBQ lunch (just $7.50 - vegetarian options available) from the DOT Café. Check out the Bike Fashion Show! Be sure to fill out a Pedal Power Comment Card at the Information Table for a chance to win a free bike and other great prizes! For details, visit: http://oly-wa.us/pedalpower/index.php   (This site is verified as trustworthy by BrightCloud Threat Intelligence.)

Bring your old bike(s) to donate to a good cause! Intercity Transit’s Walk N Roll youth program and Allafia War on Poverty will both be accepting bike donations.

Earth Day Market Ride: Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day!)

SPECIAL NOTE: IF you are thinking you have to choose between the EDMR and the March for Science, the two events will actually dovetail without a conflict. You can bike downtown (always a good choice) with the Earth Day Ride, and join the march after our gathering at the fountain, or even after biking to the Farmers Market. We'll be done by about 11:30.
Meet neighbors, enjoy a Saturday bike ride to town, and get a head start on your Bicycle Commuter Challenge miles while you're at it! The miles you ride this day count as your first commute trip on your mileage log. The Earth Day Market Ride is a great opportunity to gain confidence riding with traffic and meet other riders in your neighborhood.
After snack, a greeting, and group photo at the Heritage Park fountain, you'll ride to the Olympia Farmers Market, where you can register for the Bicycle Commuter Contest, catch some great live music, and enjoy the food and shopping at the Market!
Here's how it works.

• Meet your ride leader at the time shown below on Saturday, April 22.
• Ride to Heritage Park in Olympia, arriving by 11 a.m. for goodies (courtesy of Batdorf and Bronson and San Francisco Street Bakery), a group photo and PRIZES! We'll have Farmers Market "Wooden Nickel" for each rider. Enter your name at the fountain to win more prizes, and decorate your bike to earn an extra wooden nickel! Just make sure decorations don't interfere with the safe operation of your bike.
• The whole group rides together to the Olympia Farmers Market where you can register for the BCC, join Earth Day celebrations, and enjoy the market.
• Wear your helmet - it's required.
• Count the miles you ride at this event toward your BCC total!

EDMR Starting Points and Times:

Registration is Open for BCC 30!

2017 marks the 30th year of the Thurston County Bicycle Commuter Challenge.

We're excited about this milestone, our updated name, and our new website!

You can now sign up for the BCC on our new website and record your bike rides online during the challenge- no paper mileage log required! 
 
You are still welcome to sign up in person at the Olympia Transit Center or at one of our events, and you can still use the paper Mileage Log if you prefer, but why not save paper and data-entry labor (for us) by signing up online!

 On the website, you’ll find all the helpful information you need about the BCC, plus you can create an account and log your miles online!
•    Create your account with a custom user name
•    Register for the BCC to receive coupons and win prizes
•    Join or create a team
•    Add a child to your account – OR kids can create their own account if they have an email address.
After you submit your account info, you’ll get an email to confirm and set up a password. Once you get that email (check your spam folder!), you can log back in and record miles during the challenge, check your progress or make changes to your account.

Visit our website and sign up for the BCC!

Registration for BCC 30 Opens April 1 (no fooling!)

Registration for the 30th Annual Thurston County Bicycle Commuter Challenge opens Saturday, April 1, 2017. We are a hair's breadth from launching the new BCC website- it should be up and running Monday morning, April 3. Once it is online, you'll be able to sign up and record each bike trip you make in May on the website, eliminating the need for a paper mileage log.

For those who prefer signing up in person or by mail, we still have the paper registration forms and mileage logs, available at the Olympia Transit Center starting April 1. You can sign up for the BCC there, or pick up a form and mail it in. You can also sign up at one of the several bike events happening around town in April. See the Events tab above for a list of locations and dates.

Construction Coming at Woodland Trail and Fones Rd.

 City of Olympia Press Release:

On Monday, April 3, work begins to replace the old, underground water Booster Pump Station, located just off of Fones Road on the north side of 6^th Street, with a new above-ground facility on the south side of 6^th Street, next to the Olympia Woodland Trail.

For the first few weeks of the project, construction of new water mains will occur in the northbound lane of Fones Road and on 6^th Street. During this time flaggers will direct traffic. Expect delays. After the first few weeks, construction will move off the street. Throughout the rest of construction, there will only be occasional periods with work in the street. Work is scheduled to complete by October 2017.

This project will replace a 45 year old drinking water booster pump station that is becoming increasingly unreliable. The facility is essential to the City’s water system. The project will ensure there is adequate water pressure and water supply for fires and summer usage. In addition, the new pump station will supply water to Hoffman Reservoir and the Log Cabin Road Reservoir (soon-to-be constructed). The new booster pump station will ensure the City meets requirements for the water supply system.

 When work begins under Fones Road, the contractor will have flaggers at the crossing of the Trail and Fones Road. Please obey their instructions and use caution moving through the area.

BCC30 T-shirt Preview

BCC30 T-shirt Preview: Yes, we've been flying a bit under the radar for a week or two- there's just so much to DO, to get ready for April and May events- including the 30th Annual Bicycle Commuter Challenge in May! One of those things is getting our t-shirts printed, and here's a pic the printers sent us to show what they'll look like! It was a tight race, but blue won out as the color for both the Classic and Fitted shirts.

Capital Bicycling Club Swap Meet Wed. Mar. 8

This is a quick reminder that the Capital Bicycling Club will be holding its annual bike and gear swap this Wednesday starting at 6:00pm at the Capital Museum Coach House. 

Table space is free. Non-members are welcome. Bring your cycling gear to sell or trade.

See Our Latest News...

Click below for our latest newsletter, with a link to our T-shirt color poll- 

YOU can help decide what color our 30th Anniversary t-shirts will be!

March-News-From-the-BCC

2017 Winter Mini-BCC Wraps Up

February 5, 2017 - biking home

My, how the Winter Mini-BCC has grown! Maybe next year, we'll drop the "Mini" from its name. This year, 225 people signed up and biked for transportation in February. We biked through every kind of winter weather, with average temperatures between 9 and 10 degrees below normal, and over an inch above normal rainfall. We had 8 prize winners in our random prize drawings and our photo challenge- check out their photos (and some of the prizes) on our Facebook page! We had tons of fun on International Bike to Work Day, snapping photos and biking in the cold and rain (and seeing photos from parts of the world that have a real winter- people biking through blizzards and ice makes our winter look practically tropical!). Thanks to all who participated and to our prize donors!

TBT, and a Survey

TBT: Back in 2010, this pic was not staged, just lucky! Our banner, bus ad, and someone biking over the bridge! The banner was made way back in 2006, and used through last year. We're finally retiring it and designing some new banners to reflect the Challenge in the BCC!










And, here's a chance to weigh in with a national organization about local biking conditions. People For Bikes has a survey out, asking for your input: http://www.peopleforbikes.org/placesforbikes/pages/city-rating-system

This Week's Prize in the Winter Mini-BCC

This week's prize in the Winter Mini-BCC goes to Craig G. -- this sweet pair of Tifosi riding glasses, donated by Old Town Bicycles!

The Winter Mini-BCC is ongoing- we'll have another prize drawing next week, and one on the last day of February.

Happy riding!

Winter Mini-BCC sign-up still open

Photo by participant Walk Er

221 participants so far in the Winter Mini-BCC! Thurston County residents can still sign up to win prizes:
http://conta.cc/2iVViCB
or click the button at the top of the right sidebar. Prize drawings each Friday in February!

International Winter Bike To Work Day Friday, Feb 10

 Come ride with us. Friday February 10th, 2017. 5th annual International Winter Bike to Work Day.
Commit today: http://winterbiketoworkday.org  (Be patient, the website is busy and loads slowly...)

Things are looking up weather-wise for Winter Bike to Work Day tomorrow, aside from the possibility of some windy conditions. Keep a weather eye peeled, and be safe out there.

If you bike to work or another destination, take a photo along the way and send it to us at dgreen@intercitytransit.com and we'll enter you to win a prize (if you're a Thurston County resident).
We'll also be doing our second prize drawing for those who are signed up in the Winter Mini-BCC!

First Winter BCC Prizewinner for 2017

198 people have signed up so far in the 4th Annual Winter Mini-BCC. We did our first random prize drawing this morning and Mary T. has won this light set from Portland Design Works, with a super-bright Radbot rear light! We'll have at least one prize drawing each week in February, plus a photo contest on Winter Bike to Work Day, Friday, Feb. 10. Stay tuned for details!

Winter Mini-BCC

The Winter Mini-BCC is off and rolling! 180 spirited souls have signed up so far, and it's only the first day! International Winter Bike to Work Day is coming up on Friday Feb. 10. We'll have a photo contest to celebrate. Sign up for the Winter Mini-BCC here: http://conta.cc/2iVViCB or click the button at the top of the sidebar.

Winter BCC Starts February 1

 The Thurston County Winter Mini-BCC starts February 1! Thurston County residents (or anyone biking for transport within Thurston County) sign up by clicking the button to the right. Fill out the online form, tell us a little about your commute, and you're in! This is one of our "Mini-BCC's", so there are no teams and no mileage log. Just ride your bike to get around this February, and we'll enter you to win prizes. Prizes include some nice bike lights, fenders and other accessories! We'll have a prize drawing each week in February, this week included.

NOTE: There is still a chance of ice on the roads. We'll have night-time temps near or below freezing several times this week. On icy mornings, choose your commute mode carefully, depending on the conditions on your route. Sometimes the bus is the best option! You can take your bike on the bus in the morning, and bike home in the afternoon when it has warmed up. Check out this short video about loading your bike on the bus!

Heading Downtown? Ride Your Bike! :-)

Traffic and parking will likely be tight

in downtown Olympia tomorrow (Saturday, Jan 21), so if you're planning to be downtown in the middle part of the day, you might consider riding your bike to get there! Or walking or riding the bus, of course...

Sign up for the Winter Mini-BCC

Intercity Transit’s Winter Mini-BCC celebrates Thurston County residents of all ages and abilities who use bicycling as a means of transportation year-round. We'll hold a few random prize drawings during February, among those who sign up- it's that simple!
Anyone who lives or works in Thurston County can participate. You don't have to be employed or a student- just use your bicycle as a means of practical transportation, with at least part of your trip inside Thurston County.
Sign up online at: http://conta.cc/2iVViCB anytime between now and the end of February. There's no need to track your miles. You'll be asked for a brief description of your winter biking habits on the sign up form, and that's it!
The Winter Mini BCC runs for the whole month of February and includes celebration of International Winter Bike To Work Day, on Friday February 10, 2017.

WSTC Seeking Input Through 1/18

Here's an opportunity to have your voice heard:

The Washington State Transportation Commission would like to get your input on how our transportation system is working and ways to improve it. The survey is open until January 18. It includes questions about priorities for funding, like bigger highways vs. bike/ped infrastructure, and takes just a few minutes to complete.

http://voiceofwashingtonsurvey.org

BCC office opens for 2017

Yay, we're back in the saddle at the BCC! Next up: the Winter Mini-BCC: for the rugged Thurston County commuters who bike year-round, the "Winter Mini" runs for the month of February each year. Stay tuned here for all the info about signing up, etc., coming soon!