This may be true where you live in the US but is not true for where I live. The MUP (Charles River/Dr. Paul Dudley White Path) I use goes from within one mile of my house to one mile from where I work. My wife gets an even better deal it basically drops her at practically the door of where she works.

The Minuteman path that runs thru Arlington, MA effectively serves recreational cyclists and transportational cyclists and links with some paths that wind through Cambridge that with a bit of riding on streets with bike lanes links to the same path I use to go into downtown Boston.

It is also not my experience in NYC where I also ride frequently. I was able to use the West Side path as my prime thruway to most places I wanted to go in the city. I certainly wasn't the only one doing so.

When I read the Commuting Forum a substantial percentage of those posting in the "How was your commute today?" sticky thread describe their commute as being either entirely or at least partially on MUP's or bike paths.

So when you say, "Fully separated paths in the US end up going around town or out of town. Actually building them anywhere but in a suburb is cost prohibitive..." what are you talking about? I mean I'm not arguing that it is not true in some areas. I know in Florida there were ridiculous side paths, bike paths and MUP's that seemed designed for phantom retirees expected to ride beach cruisers down a one mile stretch to nowhere and back. But all of Florida's road infrastructure is a mess in my opinion not just their wimpy MUP's. But to cast this blanket onto all bike paths? C'mon.