$130K grant approved to establish Longview police bike patrol
By Hayley Day, The Daily News, May 7, 2021
Longview Police Department Capt. Branden McNew stands next to officer bikes stored in the department basement April 6. Typically officers only use bikes during July 4th parades, when core city streets are blocked from vehicle traffic. Photo by Hayley Day.
Longview WA -- The Longview Police Department is ready to revitalize its defunct bicycle patrol aimed at teaching bicycle and pedestrian safety with a more than $130,000 state grant.
Local cyclists say the program will promote the city’s goal to create safer roadways for all types of transportation.
Up to 25 police officers will regularly patrol the city on bikes to enforce cyclist and pedestrian transportation rules, as well as promote safety tips at public places like schools and festivals.
Bike patrol
Longview Police Capt. Branden McNew said the $133,000 Washington State Traffic Safety Commission grant can be used for two years starting Oct. 1.
Longview officers ride bikes on occasion now during special events like parades, but the new program will create “highly visible patrols” around town on a regular basis, McNew said.
Officers on bikes will talk to cyclists and pedestrians about safety issues in real-time in the field. Bike officers will relay witnessed vehicle infractions involving cyclists and pedestrians to officers in patrol cars to discuss with motorists.
McNew said the goal isn’t to give more citations, but to educate.
“This goes beyond the traditional bike patrol model,” he said.
McNew applied for the state funds when he learned Longview was ranked as the fifth most dangerous city for pedestrians, according to the state’s traffic commission.
According to Longview police, 83 pedestrians were hit by vehicles from 2014-20, resulting in 78 injuries and seven fatalities. Over the same time period, 34 cyclists were hit by vehicles, resulting in 33 injuries and no fatalities.
McNew said the grant will be used to send two Longview officers to a roughly week-long training on performing police duties on bikes after Oct. 1.
Those officers will train an additional roughly 23 employees, who will teach bicycle and pedestrian safety at public events.
The grant will not cover the cost of new bikes, helmets or uniforms. Those expenses will come out of department funds, McNew said. The total amount has not been determined.
Complete streets
Longview passed a complete streets ordinance in 2019 to plan city roadways not just for motorists, but cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and mobilities.
Complete streets is a national and state-wide transportation policy. Castle Rock, Battle Ground, Seattle and Spokane have similar regulations.
Longview cyclist David Fine is part of the city’s advisory committee created when the complete streets ordinance passed. He said the group advises city engineers about how to design roadways with pedestrians and cyclists in mind.
The group drafted a plan that includes creating a network of bike lanes “to theoretically go anywhere in the city on a bike,” Fine said. The draft plan includes a map of the proposed network, but there is no timeline for when it will be voted on for approval.
Fine would like to help the city earn the Bike Friendly Community designation from the national cyclist advocacy group League of American Bicyclists. Awardees include Portland and Seattle.
The Longview police grant provides dedicated enforcement of bicycle safety rules, which is needed to qualify for the award, Fine said.
Creating a more bike-friendly city and receiving the national designation would benefit Longview in multiple ways, he said.
“Bike-friendly communities are healthier, have reduced crime, more person-to-person contact,” Fine said, “and more people shop locally so it improves the economy.”