04/06/2025
Yellow Stone, Glacier, and Tioga All Allow Cyclists Only Prior to Opening!
RunBikeHike Ebbetts PASS
Without Vehicle Traffic on Highway 4
Caltrans D10 BPAC has been discussing opening Ebbetts Pass for RunBikeHike for over three years at quarterly meetings.
District 10 is one of five California Department Transportation Districts that have a BPAC. The D10 Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (D10 BPAC) provides strategic input, technical guidance, and process improvement recommendations to support achievement of the walk and bike safety objectives and multimodal network strategies.
Caltrans Guiding Principles that support D10 from hosting RunBikeHike Day.
Is it safe, equitable, reliable, efficient, sustainable and resilient.
Does it Minimize the negative impacts to the environment and enhances the environment where possible.
Does it Help the rural and mountain economy thrive and give residents options for their travel needs.
In 2021, Caltrans and CalBike published the Interegional Bike Tourism Report, a two year study that clearly demonstrates the economic benefits of hosting a non vehicle day for bike touring in Alpine County.
See Alpine County Signature Projects
https://www.bikevalleytosierra.com/bicycle-tourism-plan-motherlode
During the last three years the D10 BPAC Members were told by Caltrans that CDT insurance, legal department, said No! And, dangerous roads, localcommunity/businesses issues all prevent holding an event for hikers and cyclists without vehicles on Ebbetts Pass.
Then there was last week, April 3, 2025.
Caltrans D10 BPAC held a Focus Webinar for stakeholders and staff interested in RunBikeHike Day. The meeting was attended by Supervisors from Alpine and Calaveras Counties, CHP, Ebbetts Fire District, Bear Valley Businesses, transportation agencies and D10 staff. Attendees praised the plan and discussed concerns.
But, the meeting didn’t go so well…in fact it was embarrassing to all BPAC
representatives.
We were told someone needs to submit an Encroachment Permit or NO Road Closure.
RunBikeHike Day is not Not a Road Closure. The gate is still closed.
The road is open for the public to Run Bike Hike! That simple. And, Caltrans can make this happen. Hosting RunBikeDay can be a celebration of summer in the Central Sierra.
Then This News From Yellowstone National Park!
Every spring and fall Yellowstone National Park allows bicyclists willing to brave the unpredictable weather are permitted on park roads while they're closed to motorized, public vehicles. Roads are not be completely free of cars during these times, however: bicyclists may still encounter park employees, and contractors.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bicycling.htm
Now what will happen?
A motion was made and seconded at the BPAC January 22, 2025 meeting to hold RunBikeHike Day in May 2025. There was no vote taken to recommend to D10 Director that the sixteen member advisory would like to host a Run Bike Day eight miles East and West along the Scenic Ebbetts Pass.
I asked the Chairman to add a BPAC vote at our upcoming April 16, 2925 Meeting.
More information and Update
to follow.
Our next District 10 Bicyclist Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting will be on Wednesday April 16th, 2025, from noon to 2PM. BPAC website with updated meeting information is as follows: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-10/district-10-programs/district-10-bpac
Bike safely in Yellowstone.
