They also serve as a fun entryway to appreciation of a region's natural history. People are really looking for a place to ride safely with their kids. Bicyclists are the first to sound the alarm about bike paths, because we've all seen bad ones. Even the brand new Minuteman Bikeway from Bedford to Arlington is a disaster, cycling advocates say. The pavement is crumbling already, there are speed bumps too big for bikes, and metal gates at street intersections are often closed, forcing riders to dismount frequently and walk around.
Traffic goes one way only, and there are separate paths for walkers.
Speed limits are posted and intersections are well-regulated. I'm sure it takes continuous education and peer pressure for the community to enforce the rules. Such success gives me high hopes for the Blackstone River Bikeway, which is making its way slowly through the bureaucratic pipeline. And the bikeway is piggybacking nicely onto the state's second-largest highway project, the planned Massachusetts Turnpike interchange at Route 146 in Millbury. We're on the launching pad.