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Happy trails is goal for economic development group

Lighthouse Marine Park manager Ben Van Buskirk will attend the next meeting of the Whatcom County Trails Association with plans for two trail networks on the Point – a paved bike loop and an unpaved multipurpose trail system. “You have to start with a plan,” he said. “Without a plan you can’t get funding, you can’t get anywhere.”

Van Buskirk and Wesley Hubbard, both members of the trails subcommittee of the Point Roberts Economic Development Committee (EDC) have been collaborating to map out a prospective trail system. The first component would be a bike loop on county right of way. “We’re trying to get bicycle routes put in on all the perimeter roads and on Tyee,” Van Buskirk said. “A hard paved surface, preferably with a divider.”

By linking up to the existing trail system that connects White Rock and Delta, Van Buskirk said Point Roberts could become a destination for cycle-tourism. “They could just get off the ferry and ride down to the Point on safe, nice paths,” he said.

Fellow committee member Michael Rosser approached Whatcom County with a proposal to use funds and right-of-way earmarked to widen Tyee Drive for a bike path instead. “When the widening of Tyee was put on hold in my view it was put on hold indefinitely,” he said. “What we’re proposing is they use road funds to procure the right of way they need and put in a divided trail now. If the road does get widened that part is already done.”

The trails committee is proposing the paved trail be on the other side of the ditch from traffic or in some other way separated from the roadway. “It’s safer, more comfortable to use and so people will use it more,” Rosser said.
Bruce Mills, Whatcom County assistant director for public works said the widening of Tyee Drive had slipped from the top 10 to 37th place on the county’s six-year transportation priority list, but that number eight on the list, with a $250,000 annual budget, was the development of trails.

The newly formed Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee reviews and recommends projects to county council. “We look to that committee for what should be a priority,” Mills said. “”If they think there’s a high enough need we could do it next year.” VanBuskirk said they planned to submit a completed plan to the county committee as well as pursue other funding sources.

Van Buskirk and Hubbard are also mapping out chunks of unpaved multipurpose trail that would connect to link Monument Park and Lily Point through the largely wooded areas, most of them transitional zoning, that bisect the Point. The transitional zoning makes the area especially appropriate for a trail system, as property owners wishing to build higher density subdivisions in the area need to dedicate a certain amount of public use open space in the development.

“In March the boy scouts put trails in at Monument Park. The parks department has indicated they have a desire to develop trails around Baker field, so that could be our next chunk. If that horse track goes in next to it that could be another component,” VanBuskirk said.

County planning director Sylvia Goodwin has been working with the group to get Point Roberts trail plans on the books with the county. “The county comprehensive plan has a chapter on recreation and one on transportation and both have information about public trails, but not about trails in Point Roberts,” she said. “The committee is working to get information on the Point included.” Van Buskirk is also linking up with groups like the trails association, the county bike advisory group and the Coast Millennium Trail proponents as well as representatives from Delta Parks and Recreation to coordinate efforts.

Van Buskirk pointed out that the community survey that was part of the economic development strategy commissioned by the Port of Bellingham in 1999, trails for bikes and pedestrians and a coordinated trail system were the top three development priorities selected by property owners and residents of the Point.

While a trail system ranked fifth for merchants, it still emerged as the top priority overall for the Point.

“Our immediate goal now is a plan to let everyone know – the county, funding sources, property owners – that we want a trail system on the Point,” Van Buskirk said.

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