Tell Olympic National Park to remove the proposed ban on bicyclists

(This is from my pals at the Bicycle Alliance of Washington)

Hurricane Ridge Road inside Olympic National Park is a popular summer destination for bicyclists who like the challenge of a 17-mile road rising from virtually sea level to 5420-feet. Park managers have been planning to repave the road for several years and Congress has provided $12.7 Million to repave and repair 12 miles. The road recently sustained storm damage.

Citing “safety,” the park is planning to ban bicyclists for the entire two year duration of the road repairs. The road will remain open to all other vehicle traffic, including motorcycles.

We believe that this is an unnecessary exclusion of bicyclists on what is a federally funded road open to all other forms of traffic. Write to your members of Congress and interim park superintendent Sue McGill and let them know that the proposed ban is totally unacceptable. Request that McGill meet directly with the Bicycle Alliance and other bicycle groups to reach an improved solution.

Key points to raise:

• Hurricane Ridge Road is a popular destination for bicyclists
• Bicyclists who ride this road tend to be very experienced, fit riders
• The road will remain open to all other vehicle traffic
• State, county and city governments in Washington manage to accommodate bicyclists during reconstruction projects without any problems
• No construction work will take place at weekends, but the ban is to remain in place then too
• Olympic National Park did not contact a single bicycle group in its out-reach efforts, even though bicyclists are the most affected users
• Contractors routinely deal with bicyclists on other road projects – this project is no more a safety issue than other road works.

Enter your zip code to obtain the name of your member of Congress: http://www.house.gov/htbin/zipfind

Washington’s two senators can be reached by email or by calling a local office:

Senator Patty Murray: http://murray.senate.gov/contact/

Senator Maria Cantwell: http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/office_locations.cfm

Olympic National Park
Sue McGill, Superintendent
Olympic National Park
600 E. Park Avenue
Port Angeles, WA 98362
sue_mcgill@nps.gov

Background on the issue is available at: http://peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080216/NEWS/802160303&template=printart

Information on recent storm damage to Hurricane Ridge Road:
http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/current-closures.htm