Mt. Hood Bicycle/Pedestrian Coalition

Mt. Hood Bicycle/Pedestrian Coalition

Organizers George Wilson and Petr Kakas held their first Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition meeting at the Skyway Bar and Grill on Saturday; October 12, 2013. Attendees included representatives from the Mt. Hood Villages Board of Directors, Timberline Lodge and Skibowl, as well as permanent and part-time residents from Welches, Zigzag, Rhododendron, Brightwood and Government Camp. Discussion topics included mission statement, project goals and future funding.

The Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition is an independent organization working as a subcommittee to the Villages at Mt. Hood Board of Directors.

Mission Statement:

                 

The Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition will work proactively with local, state and federal government to develop a solid bicycle/pedestrian master plan for the Villages of Mt. Hood by developing strategies that include short, medium and long range plans to educate, promote and support safe access for cyclists and pedestrians.

Project Goals:

·       Advocate and seek funding for a Bicycle/Pedestrian a Master Plan, with safety being paramount.

·       Repair and improve our deteriorating roads to restore them to acceptable standards by eliminating pot holes and road defects that have become a danger to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

·       Develop partnerships with like-minded organizations that understand the value of cycling tourism.

·       Provide future bike lanes and or bike/ped pathways that connect the villages of Mt. Hood.

·       Support Timberline Lodge, Skibowl and the National Forest Service in their efforts to build a well thought-out plan for an improved Mountain Bike Skills Park.

·       Plan and develop a paved bicycle pathway that parallels Hwy. 26, allowing cyclists to ride from Welches to Government Camp/Timberline Lodge, with the ultimate goal of making the connection to the Spring Water Corridor, connecting Portland to Mt. Hood via bicycle.

·       Improve existing mountain bike trails from Timberline Lodge/Skibowl to Welches.

·       Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition Website listing project goals and accomplishments.

·       Social Media i.e. Facebook blog page

Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition meetings will be held on a quarterly basis. Our next meeting will be in early January 2014, prior to the Villages at Mt. Hood Town Hall (time and date TBA in the near future) where we will formally announce our immediate project plans.

We encourage participation by any and all who are interested in making our community more sustainable and safe for cyclists, runners, joggers and pedestrians of all ages, especially our kids.

If you would like to be added to our membership list for updates and meeting schedules, please provide your contact information to George Wilson georgewilson@wavecable.com. We welcome all the community support we can muster. Our Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition contact list includes 200+ people (and counting) who have expressed their interest in the Mt. Hood Bike/Ped Coalition. Come and see what we are all about!

George Wilson

Director

Villages at Mt. Hood Board of Directors