by Nathan Boddy
The cold and rain of winter may finally be releasing its grip on the Bitterroot Valley, which means that many residents are ready to saddle up. But while many bikers throughout Hamilton are just now getting back to their bicycles, members of Bike Walk Bitterroot (BWB) have been continuing their mission to “make biking and walking safe, convenient and accessible for users of all ages and abilities.” During the month of May, that mission has meant coordinating the Walk Roll Challenge that will continue through the end of the month, and offer prizes to participants.
BWB, which falls under the wider statewide umbrella of Bike Walk Montana, is an advocacy group which aims to give support and promotion to modes of transportation that are easily overlooked in our highly automotive society. As the group’s website points out, the Bitterroot Valley is home to “safe well-maintained and accessible options for biking and walking.” Nonetheless, modes of transportation other than vehicular can benefit from some advocacy.
To that end, BWB members Amy Fox and Matthew Rohrbach were early to rise on the morning of May 4th, and joined dozens of children who’d gathered at the parking lot west of Saint Francis Catholic Church for a group ‘Bike/Walk to School’ day. Coffee and fruit were generously provided by Hamilton’s Marketplace. Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf, dressed in a Darth Vader helmet (‘May the 4th be with you’), was present, as were County Commissioner Jeff Burrows and State Representative David Bedey.
“I thought it was great that they were able to come,” says Fox, adding that she and Rohrbach were able to engage in conversation with the officials following the event. Specifically, they were able to discuss the various obstacles school children experience when choosing biking or walking as a way to commute to school. Fox pointed out that crossing Highway 93 can be difficult, especially with a kid in tow, and that some route designation along Daly could make things safer.
While ‘Bike/Walk to School’ day was a success, BWB has more events planned for their month-long ‘Walk Roll Challenge.’ Events will include the ‘Commuter Breakfast,’ to be held on Friday, May 20th between 7 and 9 a.m. at the town parklet in front of Bitterroot Law (107 S. 2nd Street), the Hamilton Police Bike Rodeo on May 22nd, and Sunday Street on May 22nd. All of the events are designed to build connections between bikers and walkers, as well as to foster a sense of community and have fun. The ‘Sunday Street’ event will be held on South 4th Street between Main and State between 3 and 7 p.m., and feature live music by Poor Henry, games, and bike repair instruction offered by Red Barn Bikes.
Even with so much fun and socialization around biking and walking, the work being done by BWB is a serious concern. Fox points out that there are very real barriers to biking and walking as a first choice for commuters, including gaps in sidewalks, connectivity issues within the bike path network, and a shortage of north-south connections on the east side of Highway 93. “The single biggest gap in the non-motorized network is Marcus Street which has only intermittent bike lanes and no sidewalks, yet is the primary east-west connector for residents east of Highway 93,” said Fox.
Addressing these shortages and barriers is essential, she says, adding that a safe and functional bike/walk system, “helps a community stay healthy by making active transportation a viable transportation option.” Helping people move around in a variety of ways, rather than just by car, helps “connect people to neighbors and the business community, enables social interaction, and most importantly, helps keep our kids stay safe as well as others who don’t have access to a vehicle.”
More information about Bike Walk Bitterroot and the ‘Walk Roll Challenge’ can be found at their website:
http://bikewalkbitterroot.org