Q & A with City Council Member Sally Bagshaw

Walking in Seattle is starting a new series to showcase the perspectives of prominent walkers in the city. Our first Q&A is with Sally Bagshaw, Seattle City Council Member, downtown resident, and frequent walker:

Walking in Seattle: Where is your favorite place in the city go for a walk?

Sally Bagshaw: I have walked to work every day since 2000. I walk the Waterfront, to our Parks, to our Seattle Center, and I walk around downtown every day. My office is only 8 blocks from my condo. A couple weeks ago when my office was having a pedometer-based walking challenge, I walked from downtown to the Metro Theaters in the University District so I could a) get over 15,000 steps and b) see what was going on in South Lake Union construction.

Walking in Seattle: What do you like most about walking in the city of Seattle?

Sally Bagshaw: The trees, the flowers, my neighbors, the clean air, our parks. And of course, exercise! I don’t run anymore, so aside from a round of golf, long walks are my favorite life-extending exercise.

Walking in Seattle: What is the top thing you’d like to see improved for walking in the city of Seattle?

Sally Bagshaw: My favorite question of all! I want to make the Lake to Bay Loop a reality. We are going to do this. We –to my delight– received money from the Feds to build our pedestrian/bike overpass over Elliott and the railroad tracks to connect the Waterfront to the Seattle Center. The RFPs went out this spring and I believe the contractor has been selected.

Also — working with our Parks Department and with our Parks Foundation I want to connect our Parks like Olmsted’s String of Pearls idea. I also want to create more Pedestrian Green Streets like 8th Avenue downtown where people can enjoy a long walk with widen sidewalks, trees, art, benches, pedestrian lights, good cafes along the way, and a vibrant local community. I’d like traffic to slow down a few m.p.h. to make our downtown safer. These are my goals for my Parks and Seattle Center Committee and I am really excited to be a part of this.

Walking in Seattle: One last question – be honest, do you wait for the Crosswalk light?

Sally Bagshaw: I do –most of the time — out of shame and the prospects of getting busted. But I will confess that at night when I’m walking home alone after dark I keep moving. I watch traffic carefully and I bolt across when it’s safe to do so.