Bellingham group seeks quick-fix effort for safer street crossings, bike lanes
A Bellingham group that advocates for bicyclists and people on foot is asking the city to move quickly on new bike lanes, crosswalks and other steps to create safer streets.
All 16 of the proposed measures are in the city’s recently approved six-year Transportation Improvement Program, an official document that details which public works projects are moving forward, Jamin Agosti of Walk and Roll Bellingham told The Bellingham Herald.
Every proposal on the Safe Street Bellingham proposal uses paint, flexible posts, curb extensions and easily obtained hardware without concrete or other permanently engineered solutions, according to a 16-page “white paper” submitted to the city administration and shared with The Herald. Their implementation would cost 80% to 90% less than traditional construction, Agosti said.
“This is about making the streets safer for all of us. We think it will change how the city delivers on infrastructure,” Agosti said in a phone interview.
Key parts of the Safe Streets proposal include:
- Converting on-street parking to paint-and-post bike lanes along 10 commuter routes, including Boulevard, South State Street, North Forest Street, Cornwall Avenue, Sunset Drive, F Street, Roeder Avenue, Squalicum Way, 32nd Street, 21st Street, Samish Way, Northwest Avenue, Bennett Drive, Pacific Street and Barkley Boulevard.
- Protecting existing bike lanes with vertical separation along six routes.
- Add crossing improvements and curb extensions at key intersections.
- Start a citywide Neighborhood Slow Streets program that lowers speeds to 15 mph and discourages freight traffic and short-cutters.
“We need to start with cheap, immediate improvements. This is important because people are dying and being injured on city streets,” Agosti said.
Bellingham City Council members voted June 1 to reduce speed limits citywide, and set the default speed limit 20 mph unless otherwise posted.
Traffic deaths and injuries have tripled across Bellingham over the past five years compared to the five years before that, according to previous Herald reporting and data obtained from the Washington State Department of Transportation:
- From 2015 to 2019, there were five traffic deaths on Bellingham streets. That includes a 2017 crash that killed a bicyclist.
- From 2020-2024, there were 15 traffic fatalities, including 10 bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Four people were killed on Bellingham streets in 2025, including one pedestrian.
Public Works Director Joel Pfundt told The Herald that city officials are considering Walk and Roll’s proposal.
“We share Safe Streets Bellingham’s goal of making it safer and more comfortable for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike and roll throughout our community. In fact, many of the corridors highlighted in their proposal are already identified as priorities in the city’s adopted Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans,” Pfundt said in an email. “The proposal raises important ideas about accelerating implementation of a safe and connected network for people walking, biking and rolling. While we don’t think it’s as simple as installing paint and posts on every corridor that’s been identified, we’re reviewing the proposal to better understand where quick-build approaches may help us deliver improvements sooner and where additional design, coordination, alternatives analysis or more permanent solutions may be needed.”
