The Discovery Bay East Trail will be good for Jefferson County's economy.

A recreational trail bypass to avoid SR20 over Eaglemount would be very beneficial to the citizens of Jefferson County.  Obviously it would be safer for everyone from the County -- motorists and non-motorists alike -- to have recreational users off that section of the highway.  And a trail connection between the end of the Larry Scott Trail and the rest of the Olympic Discovery Trail would also be of great economic benefit to the County’s citizens.  Here are links an Adventure Cycling Association article – one of many describing the immense economic benefits to communities that are connected by recreational trails – entitled When Washington Bikes, It Brings Billions of Bucks: http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/when-washington-bikes-it-brings-billions-of-bucks-part-1/ (part 1);

http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/when-washington-bikes-it-brings-billions-of-bucks-part-2/ (part 2).  As reported in one of the studies cited in the Article:

• Bicycle riding is #3 in recreational activities by total expenditures in Washington state with over $3.1 billion spent statewide.

• Bicycle riding comes in as the fourth biggest recreational activity by measuring the total number of participant days occurring in Washington state.

• As compared to many activities where equipment purchases provide the significant economic impact to their activity, bicycle riders’ trip-related expenditures account for a whopping 96% of the economic impact of bicycling. This means that bicyclists like to contribute to local economies via shopping, lodgings, and eating. It underscores that bicyclists are “wallets on wheels.”

These stats are only for bicyclists.  A new recreational trail would also be used by equestrians, and by hikers, including those hiking the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNNST) – the newest trail in the federal scenic trails system.  The PNNST now runs from the ferry dock in Port Townsend, via Highway 20 (!) to West Uncas Road at the head of Discovery Bay. As two PNNST hikers recently explained at the end of the short interview below -- videoed after they took the risky walk over Eaglemount on Highway 20 -- the economic potential for Port Townsend from the PNNST is in jeopardy because the it is not yet safely linked to the Olympic National Park:

I'm working on some maps that I will post in the next few days, showing that there are many possible routes for the PNNST that will avoid SR20 over Eaglemount.  And Jeff Selby (of the PTC) and I have also been communicating with potentially affected property owners, seeking their support for inclusion of the DBET on the County's 2016 TIP.  I'll report on that soon.

Five years, 345 days to go.