PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles has joined the chorus of local governments who say Olympic National Park’s proposed plan for expanding the Olympic Discovery Trail along Lake Crescent is insufficient.
The City Council on Tuesday voted 6-0, with Councilwoman Brooke Nelson absent, to take a position against the plan to build the 3.5-mile segment 6 feet wide, rather than at least 8 feet wide as is common throughout the trail system.
Inaccessible to wheelchairs
Additionally, the vote puts the city in opposition to the use of an 18 percent grade for a half-mile of the trail, which would make it inaccessible to people in wheelchairs.
The Clallam County commissioners and Lower Elwha Klallam tribe have each written letters against the plan.
The Peninsula Trails Coalition, the group formed to spearhead creation of the trail, is also against the plan.
The trail would follow the former Spruce Railroad grade.
The park is considering the smaller width to avoid disrupting the rocks used to build the grade, which have historical value.
The plan also does not include the county’s proposed detour of the 18 percent grade because it would involve cutting trees.
Deputy Park Superintendent Todd Suess told the council that the park has an obligation to maintain natural and cultural resources, including railroad ballast.
“It becomes difficult to start compromising those,” he said.
Two speakers during public comment spoke against the park’s plan, including Alternative Transportation Advocacy of Port Angeles founder Randall McCoy
“This is unacceptable to us,” McCoy said, “and we beseech the national park to make the appropriate changes . . . so it meets the universal ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] standards to accommodate all trail users.”
Port Angeles resident Ed Chadd said it’s “absurd” that the trail, which is 40 miles long and will eventually be 120 miles long, would have one section not fully accessible by wheelchair.
“I understand there will have to be a few more trees removed,” he said.
“I think there’s a way to mitigate that to make sure the lake resources aren’t harmed.”
Comment through Friday
The park is taking comments on the plan through Friday.
The plan and alternatives the park considered can be viewed at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/srrt.
Comments can be made through the website or hand-delivered to park headquarters at 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
