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Blue Ridge Parkway Cycling To End?

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According to Blue Ridge Outdoors, cycling could be limited – or halted altogether – with the National Park Service’s proposed Blue Ridge Parkway Draft General Management Plan (to read the 713 page plan, click on link and scroll to bottom for PDF’s).

Budget cuts have led the Blue Ridge Parkway to consider extreme measures for management of this historic byway. This includes applying for National Historic Landmark status, which could almost shut down any “new use” of the Parkway besides it’s intended use when it was established – and that was for driving.

What can you do?

Click here to submit your comments to the Park Service’s questions regarding the Plan online – do it NOW because comments on this matter will be closed December 16th. If you don’t have time to read all 713 pages of the plan, read Blue Ridge Outdoors’ article and suggested changes to the plan.

Many of us here at Bikerumor have ridden or regularly ride the BRP, and losing it to cars would be a travesty of transportation planning and resource management.

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dude
dude
13 years ago

Yeah sounds about right for the Park Service which tends to have its head up its ass. Did you know that you can snowmobile but not ride a snow bike in Yellowstone? Totally ass-backwards. The NPS caters to motorized use. It doesn’t want people to actually get out of their cars. The parks are to be experienced from behind a glass window.

kda
kda
13 years ago

What does ” at-grade
crossings with new grade separation
structures” mean?

Jason
Jason
13 years ago

If you actually read the document (or at least scan it), in chapter 2 under Alternitives:trails, for all of the version proposed they maintain access for bicycles on all BRP roads. And it is stated in Chapter 3 under Traffic & transportation that there are no proposals to limit cycle use or access to the BRP. I responded that I would like to see development efforts to support more open access for MTB to trails in the BRP area.

Mick
Mick
13 years ago

@dude..+1… I agree 100%

Santana
Santana
13 years ago

I hope everyone will take the time to actually read the proposed plan/plans. Unless I missed some hidden information after reading 600+ pages there is nothing to say cycling will be limited or eliminated. It does give some very interesting data about cycling on page 243 and 244. From what I have gotten out of reading the plan/plans it will be a plus for cyclist no matter which plan is adopted. On the other hand mountain biking may be affected do to the location of trails in certain areas. Some trails may in the future be considered endangered areas for plants and wildlife.

Kevin Dobo
13 years ago

PLEASE STOP CROSS POSTING THIS INFLAMMATORY AND WILDLY INACCURATE ARTICLE FROM BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS.

There is absolutely no language in that management plan that threatens bike access to the parkway. In fact, Plan B, the one BRO article criticizes, includes language that specifically says:
“Continue to allow bicycling on the
main parkway road and other parkway
roads, recognizing that bicyclists
would be sharing the road with higher
volumes of motorized traffic,
especially in the more urbanized areas
of the parkway.”

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