BLYN — The Jamestown S’Klallam is the first tribe in the nation to receive a bicycle-friendly community designation from the League of American Bicyclists.
It received the award this summer from the national group based in Washington, D.C., along with Port Angeles/Clallam County. Port Angeles and Clallam County applied as one entity.
The designations not only recognize work done to develop bicycling opportunities, but also start a process by which communities can improve access and safety for bicyclists.
“As the first tribe in the nation to be awarded a league designation, we look forward to continuing a strong affiliation with the cycling community,” said Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown S’Klallam.
Craig Fulton, Port Angeles public works director and a member of a bicycle advisory committee formed earlier this year to make the application for the designation, also was pleased.
“It’s a great good news story for Port Angeles, recognizing the things we’ve done not only in the city but the county as a whole to improve the bike friendliness of our streets and towns,” Fulton said.
Both Port Angeles/Clallam County and the tribe were designated at the bronze level, one cut above honorable mention, and both have received a list of standards that, if fulfilled, would raise them to the silver level.
The two communities now join Sequim, which was designated at the bronze level in the spring of 2014, and Port Townsend, which has been designated as bicycle-friendly since 2008 and the only area at the silver level on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Gold and platinum are the next two levels.
The new designations raise Washington state’s number of bicycle friendly communities to 18 — nearly double what it was just two years ago, the league said.
The League of American Bicyclists has ranked Washington state the most bicycle friendly state in the nation for the last eight years.
Much of the Jamestown S’Klallam’s bicycle work has been focused on the development of the Olympic Discovery Trail across tribal land, the league said.
It has allowed tribal access so that there are no gaps in the trail.
“Our regional trail system, the Olympic Discovery Trail, is seamlessly incorporated into our tribal operations and we welcome the public to enjoy the tribal trail sections,” Allen said.
The tribe also hosts a summer bike camp, a weeklong day camp aimed at giving young riders basic bike handling and safety skills and riding opportunities.
Port Angeles and Clallam County have active bike and trail advocacy groups, are making strides to complete their portions of the Olympic Discovery Trail and describe the region as a bicycle travel destination, the league said.
More than half of all schools offer bicycle education to students.
Fulton also pointed to the bike lanes and bike boxes on downtown streets. The bike boxes allow cyclists a safe area to stop for red lights without being imbedded in the vehicular traffic, he said.
He also mentioned several bicycling events that have been sponsored by the city and county.
Fulton said that the designation is only the beginning.
The newly formed bicycle advisory committee is meeting this month to review results and feedback and begin planning more improvements, he said.
Another bicycling advisory committee member, Bob Martin, Clallam County public works administrative director, said that the group will be told how the city and county can improve in bike education, bike outreach, more long-term planning and getting community members more involved in bicycling.
To move up to silver, Port Angeles and Clallam County need to have a monthly advisory group meeting, the league said.
The city and county also need to increase bicycle parking and expand the bike network on streets, while also offering training.
They need to conduct research on bicycle usage and encourage more businesses and organizations to promote cycling by employees and customers.
The tribe needs to continue to increase the amount of high quality bicycle parking throughout tribal lands, work with the state Department of Transportation to make the sections of U.S. Highway 101 that pass through tribal lands safer for all road users, and work with the county and neighboring jurisdictions on installing a bicycle wayfinding system, the league said.
It also needs to offer bicycling training, sponsor and encourage bicycle-themed events and conduct research on bicycle usage among tribal members.
Work on bicycling accommodations is an ongoing, collaborative effort by Port Angeles, Clallam County, the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe and members of the community bicycle advocacy groups including Port Angeles Likes Bikes, Active Transportation Advocacy of Port Angeles, Olympic Trails Coalition, Clallam Transit, Clallam County school districts and local bike shops, the league said.
“We’re encouraging communities to use the league’s program as a benchmark for their progress in becoming safer, better places to ride,” said Barb Chamberlain, executive director of the statewide bike advocacy nonprofit Washington Bikes.
For more information about Washington Bikes, see www.wabikes.org.
For more on the League of American Bicyclists, see http://bikeleague.org.