Why Cascade Joined the MASS Coalition

As the City of Seattle balanced the budget for 2019, advocates for biking, walking, transit, and climate priorities coalesced into the Move All Seattle Sustainably (MASS) Coalition.

Championing safe streets for people who bike, walk, or use transit and climate-friendly transportation, the MASS Coalition includes Cascade Bicycle Club, Transit Riders Union, The Urbanist, 350 Seattle, Sierra Club, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, and 500 Women Scientists.  While these organizations are long-time partners, we felt it was time to formalize our collaboration and mutual interests: “We are motivated by the realistic and attainable vision of building a transportation system that not only moves people and goods, but also is equitable, low-carbon, safe for everyone, and promotes great public spaces and inclusive neighborhoods.”

Building on Seattle’s work to pass a Complete Streets policy, Vision Zero, and climate goals, MASS highlights four main priorities for Seattle in 2019:

  1. Invest in safe and accessible streets
  2. Help people get to, from, and through downtown
  3. Connect our neighborhoods
  4. Ensure transportation equity

“The reality is that Seattle is not on track to meet its adopted goals,” MASS says. “We believe now is the time to get moving. With a smart city budget that embodies our shared priorities, and leadership that is committed to implementing them, we can make progress.” As Seattle lags on Vision Zero, climate goals, and implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan, the Coalition has just released a set of priorities for the Mayor's office to keep our city moving.

Throughout 2019, Cascade will be working with the MASS Coalition to advance people-powered transportation priorities, complementing our campaigns to Connect Seattle, build the Basic Bike Network, and complete the Missing Link of the Burke Gilman Trail.

As commuters feel the “Seattle squeeze” more acutely than ever during the period of maximum constraint, we’ll be backing downtown bikeways and better connections to public transportation to help people access more options to get around town. Whether you ride a bicycle, walk, take transit, or drive, we all benefit from efficient transportation that moves more people in less space.

We’re on board with the movement to Move All Seattle Sustainably. Are you with us? Join the campaign to Connect Seattle.

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