June and July are usually quiet around the U District. Students have graduated or have gone home for the summer. But this year, the Special Olympics USA Games is coming to our neighborhood bringing thousands of visitors and fans! From July 1-6, athletes from 50 states will visit Seattle and the surrounding region to participate in the Games. If you want to get involved and volunteer and welcome them into the neighborhood, click here.

U District, Let’s Go is firing up the welcome wagon too and will be on bicycles providing wayfinding assistance to athletes, their families, visitors and friends.

“Getting around the U District, can be difficult, especially if you’re not from here. Making transfers from from transit, especially from University of Washington Station can be confusing. We want to help it be less confusing,” says Brenda Nguyen, U District Let’s Go program assistant and UW graduate (class of 2018!). “We want to help make sure that athletes and their families and all of their fans, can easily get to where they need to go. We want them to have fun while they are here and discover all that our neighborhood has to offer like great places to eat and shop.”

The team isn’t going at it alone, they are coordinating with King County Metro Transit’s street team, helping to fill in gaps that their ambassadors aren’t able to cover.  “We’ve also met with the University of Washington, Transportation Services’ events team to get a better idea of what to expect on move in day, day to day traffic and what impacts their might be on commute traffic. Brent Curtis, events manager, didn’t think that there would be much impact to commute traffic, which is great, though, if anyone wants to err on the side of caution, they can always check out our free commute planning services to find an alternate route during this week.”

Other changes to remember is that on July 4, Independence Day, King County Metro Transit will operate buses according to its Sunday schedule. It is important that visitors know this information, so they can plan accordingly.

“This is more than people on bikes with maps, we want people to feel included and comfortable getting around our neighborhood,” said Miriam Castro, program manager with U District, Let’s Go.

U District, Let’s Go will have a variety of resources, like maps and to help people find their way. “What may be an easy walk for someone, isn’t for someone else,” said Nguyen. “Everyone has different challenges, we want to make sure we’re suggesting a route that works for them and their unique needs and abilities.”

A huge thank you to LimeBike, one of the regions bike share companies, for donating bicycles for team members. Find the mobile outreach team riding around between July 2-5 from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.   

Need help getting to the U District on any day? Check out our free commute planning services.