Are cyclists a disruption to the peace?
A piece in the Boston Globe recently caught my eye - in a local suburb, some residents are riling against plans to make an old railroad corridor into a bike trail. The 25-mile trail would connect suburban residents with public transportation hubs, making it easier and more cost-efficient to get to work. The trail would be part of more than 100 miles of bike trails planned for Massachusetts that state officials say could eventually allow riders to bike 120 miles from Lowell, Mass. to Westfield.
Supporters of the trail say the benefits - a more eco-friendly, safe way to travel; potential for exercise; an alternative to cars, etc. What surprises me is the number of those opposed to the idea. One woman in the article claims that they don't have any nearby neighbors, so if "something happened, no one would hear us yelling." Really? I didn't know cyclists and rollerbladers to be a particularly rowdy, violent bunch, but maybe I was wrong.
The way the naysayers make it sound, the trail will invite mayhem and recklessness to the otherwise peaceful, quiet neighborhood. I'm not sure where they think all of the chaos will come from - teenagers yelling late at night? Crazy cyclists playing chicken? Joggers whooping it up? I can understand that, with a change like this comes some construction and disruption of the peace, but isn't the final outcome worth it?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-06-2008 @ 2:18PM
Tim said...
Central Minnesota has converted the old rail-lines into a walk/ride trail and it is AWESOME. What a perfect way to reuse lines that aren't being utilized by the rail companies.
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7-06-2008 @ 9:26PM
Barbara said...
The main reason I chose the house I am in 16 years ago was its proximity to a major bicycle trail that was once a railroad line. I see it as an asset, not a liability. In fact, it is the main reason I don't sell and move closer to my job. I would really miss the trail.
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7-07-2008 @ 11:42AM
Junk Carter said...
When the Monon Trail was first built in Indianapolis residents with adjoining property were furious they felt that it would invite crime and basically everything described above. Instead it tripled their property value to have direct access to the trail.
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