Bike Paths To Nowhere?
 

I like bike paths/MUPs. I really do. They're great because one can ride from one logical place to another in relative safety without having to deal with motorized traffic. Many even have nice views in the areas that they're located in (I'm not talking about staring about attributes of other people whom the cyclist may come upon, so don't even think about it). They're also good for using abandoned railroad beds once the rails, ties, and spikes of the former rail line have been covered or removed.

One of these paths was built as part of a road connector construction project in Portland (Maine). The city heralded it with considerable fanfare for the day of its opening. There was even to be a transportation parade in which dignitaries and city employees in cars, truckers, organized groups of bicyclists, and even walkers would take part. As a member of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, I arranged to be a part of it and see the facility for myself.

The Road Connector Project begins near one of the bigger hotels and proceeds along the Fore River to where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Although the completed project gave the people in motorized vehicles everything it was supposed to, I noticed something was not quite right with the bike path regarding bicyclists and walkers. While the people in motorized vehicles eased into traffic at the end of the parade route, bicyclists and walkers came to an abutment of a bridge that crossed the river. They had no choice but to turn around and go back to the place from which they had come. I like bike paths that have a logical purpose but this one doesn't seem to have much of one. What's the point? Might there be one in your city or town?
Discuss.

I didn't know that there were MUPs that had a point. I haven't seen one yet. Most go from nowhere to nowhere with not much in between. Most end abruptly in a barricade, like the one you're talking about; or they dump you out onto some road in the middle of a maze of a residential section and you have to have a detailed map to get from where the MUP left you to where you might actually want to go; or they drop you on an incredibly busy highway, which you have to cross in order to get to the rest of the MUP, or quieter streets.

I strongly dislike MUPs at the best of times because of the very fact that they are MUPs (multiple use paths) and therefore the users are moving at a wide range of speeds from very slow walkers to roller bladers to cyclists, with dogs and children running to and fro into your spokes, under your bicycle, and around your pedals. They are usually built with numerous blind spots so that you can't see the old ladies standing in the middle of the path pointing at the trees, or the rollerblader blading backward with headphones, on around the corner. And you plow right into them at the last second. IMO MUPs are extremely dangerous places. I'd rather take my chances with the road.

However, IF a city built a MUP (or prefereably a Bicycle Path that banned all other uses) that went straight from one end of the city to the other, bypassing traffic lights and all that sort of thing, and through the downtown so that downtown workers could use it ... I might actually use them. They'd be a quick way to get through a city and back onto the country roads where I like to ride. :) :)

Maybe a path that had designated sections for peds and two decent lanes for cyclists would be the best compromise. Of course, make sure it has some decent bollards where it nears a road, so some drunk doesn't try to drive on it.

(Love the drunks around here... one came within five feet of taking out one of AT&T's major neighborhood phone switches about three days ago... and did manage to take out a cable box. APD does their best in trying to keep a lid on things, but there is just something about Austin and glugging booze while behind the wheel.)

... and would deliver a non-lethal shock when they strayed off their path.

There is a bike lane in Athens, Ga. that goes from the Home Despot, down a 50 mph four lane, and dumps you out into a divided highway. Just in case you want to lug a sheet of plywood on your back and then I guess use it as a shield or maybe a sail on the freeway.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Athens.jpg

You should come visit Denver. We have the Platte River trail that runs North to South through most of the Metro Area, C470 trail that runs around about a third of the perimeter, the Cherry Creek trail that runs from Downtown into the South Eastern portion of the city, The Clear Creek Trail from North Denver to Golden, the Bear Creek trail that goes from the Western portion of C-470 trail across to the Platte River... these are all almost exclusively off street trails with few to no intersections with roads. The Cherry Creek trail has a portion where peds and bikes are on opposite sides of the creek (You still run across a couple clueless peds, but for the most part, they stick to their own side of the creek)

In addition there are a lot of on-street routes and lanes for bikes, as well. I enjoy riding around here! :)

Hilton Head Island, SC actually has a great system of MUPs that interconnect throughout the entire island. No paths to nowhere, besides the end of the actual roads, and no broken pieces. However, like any other MUP, you deal with every other numbnutted user out there and tourists. I have found a horn to be more effective then a bell or yelling.

I've described to you a bicycle path I don't understand. Now I'll give examples of ones that do.

1. The Shining Sea Bike Path is a bike path running from Falmouth to Woods Hole, MA. It was formerly a railroad line which ended at the docks in Woods hole. Now a wide, level asphalt path with the bridges intact, it serves bicyclists and walkers alike. Indeed, it does go through residential neighborhoods but it's quiet. It's much better than riding the roads which are either twisted and bumpy or has so much traffic that one would get buzzed. While it's true that one would need to be mindfull of other people, I have ridden on it many times and enjoyed it.

2. The Whistle-Stop Trail Farmington-Wilton-Livermore Falls, Maine. This trail was also once a railroad line that was abandoned in 1980 and has been used since by mountain bikers, hikers, skiiers and snowmobilers. It's 15 miles long and one is less inclined to suddenly come upon others. It's aptly named as its two ends are at or near where train stations had been.

3. There are also bicycle trails on Nantucket and Martha's Vinyard Islands off Cape Cod. They are long and level and offer views of the sea. Tourists do flock to this area and bicyclists and walkers use the trails, but it hasn't been something to get worked up about.

There are many others.

Powerhouse

PLEASE NO!

No decent path should have obstructions in it, just like no road should have obstructions in it. If you don't want to see drunk drivers, stay home! As for the proper way to make sure motorized vehicles don't go on the path, just send a couple of police officers once in a while. The city will love the money and word will quickly spread around.

you can conceivably ride the "iron horse trail" from near seattle all the way to chicago...

there's good MUP's out there that tens of thousands of transportational cyclists use every day in america.

Seattle has several, i rode on one recently from gresham to portland, and they exist in big cities and small towns both.

Now that you have an Xtracycle, you have no excuse for not lugging plywood. So, is there a BloodBath and Beyond near the Home Despot? :p :D

+1. I really enjoyed the Denver Bike trails on my visit there last summer. There were a number of times that I ended up at a dead end though. The trails could use a few more signs. Often the rider will come to a Y, and there won't be any sign. This was a little disheartening in a few instances, after already riding about 100 miles.

Ladders count?
Isn't there always, right down from the Taco Hell?

As long as you can tolerate all the things that Machka correctly cites, MUP's are alright, I guess. I, for one, will take the streets whenever the sun is out...

The problem with this MUP is the lack of access to the bridge. Bridges made after the 1950's usually don't provide a ped/bike walkway. If there was access, the MUP would be quite valuable. I guess you're out of luck.

I avoid paths when at all possible. They're death traps and they tend to stop and end in very odd places. They also wind around and waste time. I use back roads, side streets and abandoned lots instead to cut as straight a line as possible between me and my goal.

I guess I'm very fortunate where I live. The 3 in my area are nearly contiguous (and there are active plans to connect the remaining 2 gaps and pave the very end of the main one), well-planned, pleasant, reasonably safe, and actually can get you places faster than taking surface streets. Kind of like some freeways. I realize that's often not the case. I'm most grateful that the planners in my area went with quality over quantity.

That is how many of the mup's around DC work. C&O, W&OD, Capital Crescent/Rock Creek, Mount Vernon Trail, etc. go from the heart of the city, thru the suburbs and out to the countryside. Given how bad DC area traffic is, and that the roads that run in these directions are mostly busy highways and interstates (bike prohibited or not bike friendly) using mup's to get to the good riding roads is a good option. Alternate would be to drive past the suburbs to start your ride, or deal with the lousy roads and lousy traffic.

That sounds rather like the Kanawha Blvd. path here in Charleston (WV, not SC).

We are talking (and I think it will go through) of converting an abandoned rail line into a MUP path. I've seen the plans and it will link South Charleston to both downtown Charleston, the State Capitol building, and Coonskin Park; it might go all the way to Clendenin, or even beyond.