Olympic National Park Proposes an Elwha Bypass Road

Road put in on the hill behind the now gone Elwha Campground to do core drilling to see if the area is feasible for a new bypass road. Photo: John Gussman

PPF submitted the following comments on Olympic National Park’s proposals for a bypass of Olympic Hot Springs Road. More information on this can be found at Olympic Park Associates’ site.

January 4, 2019

Dear Superintendent Taylor,
Protect the Peninsula’s Future endorses Olympic Park Associates’ request for a full Environmental Impact Statement on an Olympic National Park (ONP) plan for an Elwha bypass road.

ONP’s significance stems from the fact that 95% of it is designated as Wilderness. Current alternatives decreasing the amount of Wilderness in ONP are gravely detrimental to what we value in the park.

Increasing development in lands and communities near ONP only serves to underscore the significance of maintaining Wilderness areas in ONP lands.

The decision on Elwha bypass road is critical. Actions to decrease Wilderness are essentially irreversible. There is no need to blithely rush forward on crucial matters with limitless ramifications.

Thank you for taking the time to read our comments.

Sincerely,

Steve Koehler
President, Protect the Peninsula’s Future