The annual Tour de Whatcom is the reason why 100s of bicyclists will be rolling through Ferndale, including through downtown on Main Street, Saturday, July 20th.
There are 4 different courses of varying lengths available to Tour de Whatcom cyclists. All 4 route courses pass through Ferndale to and from Bellingham. According to the organizer’s website, courses will be marked with ‘Dan Henry Arrows’ (pavement markings) and additional signage at major turns.
Roads impacted by the cyclist traffic will include:
- Douglas Road between Lake Terrell and S Church Road
- S Church Road between Douglas Road and Ulrich Road
- Ulrich Road between S Church Road and Ferndale Road
- Ferndale Road between Ulrich Road and Marine Drive
- Slater Road will be reduced to 35mph by Ferndale Road and flaggers will be stopping traffic so cyclists can cross
- Northwest Drive between W Laurel Road and W Axton Road
- W Axton Road/Main Street/Mountain View Road between Northwest Drive and Olson Road
- Olson Road between Mountain View Road and Douglas Road
As with the recent event that brought runners passing through Ferndale, drivers should take extra caution as the cyclists may not be familiar with the roads through Ferndale and some riders may be children as there is no minimum age for participants. Organizers have instructed riders to “obey all traffic laws: stop for all red lights and stop signs, ride no more than two abreast, and signal turns.”
Proceeds from this year’s event, according to the organizer’s website, will go to Incite! Cycles, a local non-profit organization that supports organizers of events including Cascade Cross (a fall/winter cyclocross series) and Bellingham Grind Corps (a spring/summer gravel grinding series).