Washington State Adopting Closed-Unless-Open Bike Policy

IMBA Trail News
Volume 11, Number 3
July-August 1998

by Jennifer Lamb

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is in the process of finalizing a comprehensive set of policies and changes to the Administrative Code which will likely have a negative effect on off-road cycling opportunities.

Washington's "open unless posted closed" trail policy for bikes has served for many years as a model for other states because it acknowledges the legitimacy of responsible off-road bicycling. It seems that the State is no longer comfortable with this approach. In March, the Commission issued a draft proposal to modify the non-motorized trail policy and invited public comment.

The original proposal outlined some encouraging goals and objectives, including expanding and enhancing opportunities for bicycles, building trail partnerships and constructing and maintaining quality trails. At the same time, however, the proposal was inherently contradictory, suggesting a shift to a new policy under which "both equestrian and bicycle use will be prohibited unless specifically authorized." Numerous cyclists in the state mobilized and clearly articulated their concerns. IMBA clubs Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club (BBTC, Seattle) and Single Track Mind Cycling Club (Tacoma), as well as industry representatives and concerned individuals submitted written comments and attended public meetings to present a unified voice for cyclists.

Despite significant dissent from the cycling public and others, in May the Commission directed its staff to formulate a new policy based upon the following points:

1. Change the default for bicycles to prohibited unless authorized,
2. Emphasize the primacy of pedestrian use overall in the state parks trails system,
3. Affirm an obligation to provide trail opportunities for all users, including bicyclists and equestrians in large parks,
4. Work toward identifying opportunities for bicyclists and equestrians in small- and medium-sized parks,
5. Provide for a reasonable transition to the above approach that assures that there will be no changes in existing use patterns due to the above policy direction until:
   a. The public has had an opportunity to participate in and review a comprehensive set of implementing policies and rules,
   b. The Commission has reviewed and adopted any such rules, and
   c. A determination is made through local park administrators, with public input, that specific changes are reasonably required to serve a park purpose.

Policy point number two certainly startled and concerned us. In a phone call to the Commission, a staff member tried to reassure us, predicting that, because of the requirements dictated by policy point five, access to parklands will be "business as usual" while each park is evaluated individually and each park manager performs a trail by trail analysis.

IMBA has since learned that there are park managers, many of whom support cycling, who were not aware of either the planning process or the Commission's recent directive -- another startling discovery. IMBA's and clubs' efforts to contact and assist these managers could help ensure that we are a part of the park-by-park evaluation process.

If the state sticks to its park review requirement, our opportunities may not change substantially in the near term because the review process is time consuming and posting new signs and increasing enforcement are expensive modifications for a park budget. On the other hand, if the review process is sidestepped in any way and trails are closed without the promised evaluation, then we could lose a great deal for the very same reasons.

Thanks go to BBTC, Single Track Mind and the many individuals from Spokane to Orcas Island who called, wrote, and attended meetings. Despite such bumps in the road, your continued efforts are critical and very much appreciated.