JACKSON, Wyo. — Tired of asking friends for a ride to the airport? For the cycling initiated folks out there, Jackson Hole Airport has installed complimentary lockers to stash a bicycle during a trip.
With the grand opening of Stilson Transit Center earlier this week, new bike storage and parking options are now available for commuters. Friends of Pathways (FOP) found themselves with five full-size bike lockers that will no longer be needed at the transit hub. FOP then offered the storage lockers to officials at Jackson Hole Airport. A new coat of paint and some lock and key adjustments were all it took for the lockers to be available to travelers.
FOP Communications and Advocacy Director Sam Petri and Jackson Hole Airport Chief Communications Officer Jeremy Barnum separately stressed to Buckrail the importance of safety when undertaking an endeavor as adventurous as biking to the airport. Both Petri and Barnum have had the opportunity to ride their bikes to the airport, and they understand the unique situation the community is in.
“There was a time when I rode my bike to the airport where, as I was going down the entrance road, there was a cow elk moving through the sagebrush in front of the airport,” Barnum said. “That’s something that’s special about this place: being able to ride your bike to a commercial service airport and seeing an elk along the way. Not everybody can say that.”
Four of the new bike lockers are located in the short-term parking lot for public use. The airport asks people to limit use of the free storage spots to a maximum of 30 days. The lockers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and bikers are encouraged to bring their own locks. Barnum said the fifth locker is also available to the public, but it is located at the airport’s administration building to accommodate employees.
Barnum acknowledged that people biking to the airport is not a common occurrence, but he understands that there is high demand for overnight parking. The lockers offer a unique alternative, especially with the rising popularity of e-bikes, and he hopes that people will be smart and safe when making the decision to ditch the car at home.
“It might not be useful to, say, a family of seven or something,” Petri told Buckrail. “But for a sporty person who’s going to fly out of town for … a small trip, [with] something they could carry on their bike, and get up to the airport and fly out, that’s an amazing opportunity because they don’t to have to use their car.”
Thinking of taking two wheels to the airport? Follow these safety tips for a smooth trip:
- Exercise extreme caution when crossing US89 from the bike path to the Jackson Hole Airport entrance. The vehicle speed limit is 55 mph during daylight, and the intersection is busy at various times of day.
- Follow traffic rules on the entrance road to the airport and be aware of vehicles, as there is no bike path.
- Wear a properly fitting helmet.
- Make sure that any luggage or backpacks are securely fastened and not going to throw the bike off balance.
- Beware of animals near the bike path, as well as near the airport entrance road. The open spaces are a common place to spot elk herds and moose.
- The pathway from town, parallel to US89, is closed to all traffic from Nov. 1 through April 30 to limit conflicts with migrating elk.
