Image: Montlaker

The Seattle PI reports the State Supreme Court yesterday ruled in favor of Michael Gendler’s request for public records from the State Patrol regarding bicycle accidents on the Montlake Bridge. The patrol had required Michael to waive his right to file suit against the state based on the information in the records, a practice now disallowed by the court. Score one for public access.

This case has been widely reported in the media so we won’t repeat it here. However, the background info of the case is of interest to those working on improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Montlake (and elsewhere). This legal blog details how the state handled problems with the bridge deck’s steel grating once they were alerted to problems. Since the biggest threat to pedestrian safety in Montlake is a state highway (24th & Montlake Boulevard) it’s important to know what folks are up against.