The Al-Hakims

By Justin Resnick and Barb Chamberlain

Every year around Bike to Work Day, you read stories about dedicated cyclists who ride every day, suit up for even the nastiest weather, and say "it's easy; you could do it too!" "Sure," you think. "I'll get right on that."

And some of us do, which is awesome. Some people dust off an old bike or go to their local bike shop to pick up a fun and reliable new ride. And they fall in love with riding, sign up for an event, buy all the gear, ride the STP, and yadda yadda – you've heard this before...

Well this is not that story. This is not about another MAMIL (Middle Aged Man in Lycra ::cough cough::) conquering his challenge. Because I could point you to any number of traditional conqueror stories about bikes, but that's not what inspires a welcoming community for everyone. Riding a bike doesn't have to be a challenge or a goal – it can just be normal.

This post is about amazing people and organization…

By Tom Pearce

Ah, another summer, another round of weekend-long lane reductions in Seattle for repaving. This year the closures will take place on the State Route 99 George Washington Bridge, aka the Aurora Bridge. It’s part of a larger preservation project that includes painting the bridge.

Our contract with Liberty Maintenance allows for paving for up to 10 weekends. These weekends include around-the-clock lane reductions on the bridge. This leaves just one lane open in each direction. The first lane reduction begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 31, and will last until 5 a.m. Monday, June 3. Other weekend lane reductions scheduled so far are:
June 14-17June 28-July 1July 12-15Aug. 9-12, 16-19 and 23-26Bridge vs. land

Paving a bridge is different than paving on land. When there’s solid ground underneath, we can grind off the old pavement and leave it ground for a few days, then repave it a few nights later.

Bridges have layers – the Aurora Bridge has steel beams and stringers supporting the…

Load restrictions and signal-controlled traffic are currently in placeBy Lauren Loebsack

UPDATE - Friday, May 31
At 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4, SR 20 will reopen to one lane of signal-controlled traffic near Loup Loup Summit at the site of a washout in early May. The highway had been fully closed for about a week as repairs continued on the hillside. Repair work is ongoing for what is estimated to be a few more weeks so drivers should expect some delays through the work zone and be alert and safe around road workers.

UPDATE - May Thursday, May 23
The emergency repair happening on SR 20 east of Loup Loup Pass following a washout earlier this month will require a full closure of the highway. From 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 28 until 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, the highway will be fully closed at milepost 222.4. The contractor has reached a point in their work that will require them to excavate very soft fill material under the roadway, which could compromise the stability of the lane that is still open…