A 'Redlining' Bike Tour

All it takes a map, a bike, and a desire to learn the history of racial segregation in the United States.

1 minute read

March 20, 2018, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Broadway Bike Lane

nickfalbo / Flickr

Ann Dornfield reports on a new bike tour of the redlining that enabled the segregation the city of Seattle even after it passed an open housing ordinance in 1968.

The bike tour is the creation of Merlin Rainwater, who was inspired to bring the history of redlining to the mostly white audience that typically attends her guided bike tours after encountering several of the publicly available resources about redlining practices of the 20th century.

"…I thought, you know, this is information that really ought to be in Laurelhurst. It should be in Broadmoor," Rainwater said. "Because black people in the Central District, they know this history. It's the white folks in the segregated white parts of the city that need to know that there was a struggle for open housing in Seattle."

So far the bike tour has been very popular, according to the article. "Rainwater hopes people come away from the tour with the understanding that racial segregation was no accident," adds Dornfield.

Friday, March 16, 2018 in KUOW

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of residential street in Los Angeles with palm trees and hazy city in distance.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience

Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

April 27 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Entrance sign for San Jose-Santa Clara Regional wastewater treatment facility.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action

As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

April 27 - * A Placemaking Journal

Rendering of Penrose Roundabout in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts

Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

April 27 - WHYY