Re: New Bike Path

On Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:05:21 GMT, Roger Merriman <roger@sarlet.com>
wrote:

Catrike Ryder <Soloman@old.bikers.org> wrote:

On Wed, 10 Jul 2024 22:09:22 GMT, Roger Merriman <roger@sarlet.com>
wrote:
 

Catrike Ryder <Soloman@old.bikers.org> wrote:

The last segment of the Good Neighbor Trail (18 miles) though
Brooksville and on to Spring Hill along state hwy 50 has been
completed.
 

Is it well used?

 
It just opened.

>
True though some places have obvious demand or are being used already by
some folks already London Embankment was one such example.

 
In my experience though my commute is down similar if much

older, cycleways next to big roads that tend to be bypasses and so tend not
to be the shortest distance tend to be lightly used, ie have multiple old
cycle ways alongside big major roads.

 
The Suncoast trail where I most often ride get's lots of use.

>
Is that parallel to a highway? Or more in the woods?

It's parallel to a limited access highway of the same name, but it's
totally separated from vehicular traffic by cyclone fense and also
most places 30 or more feet of grass.

Though Highway 50 looks rather tamer and more direct than the big 1920/30
bypasses built in outer london ie why ride out of your way to ride on a
what is largely a pavement next to heavy traffic doing 70mph?
 
 

Yesterday, we drove to Brooksville to have a look at this new bicycle
facility. We located several coffee (breakfast) shops, a really good
Pizza place, and an Ice Cream shop on, or right next to the trail. A
good share of this path are bi-directional "sidepaths" along highways
and streets. Unlike some bicyclists, I am not afraid of that kind of
path and I look forward to riding it... in both directions.

 
I?ve not personally had problems with by direction stuff, as ever devil is
in the details ie needs to be properly though and designed.

 
They are very popular around here, but it's been mentioned on this
forum that they're dangerous.  Bad advice which I ignore.
 

Can’t say I’ve seen much evidence to back up those claims, I can see ones
though town centres such as the Chiswick High Street which has by direction
segregated cycleway. That potentially some turns could be more awkward
though not been the case for myself.
>
The more correct claim is some painted cycle lanes which are mostly fairly
rubbish if not more dangerous, adding some cones/wands is a cheap and dirty
way to make a segregated cycleway but unless properly done even at best
isn’t wildly good.

Agreed. 

have a few random bits on the un segregated bit on the embankment which
doesn’t seem to add much in my experience, that bit arguably needs
expanding is a short missing link still that gets very busy (Motor Traffic)
and it’s wide enough for something segregated and wouldn’t need to be that
long to connect up Chelsea Harbour with the Embankment.
>
Would make it a faster/more pleasant route can often end up having to
filter through on that short section.
>

The Good Neighbor Trail now connects the Withlacoochee trail (46
miles) to Suncoast Trail (54 miles), which is also connected to the
Pinellas Loop Trail (68 miles). With all the offshoot and connecting
trails, the system has 230 miles (by my count) of paved trails with
the only interaction with vehicle traffic are street and road
crossings.
 

Sounds good, and hopefully useful/enjoyable and all that.
 

There are more trails planned, and I probably missed a few in my
count. There are plans for running the hwy 50 sidepath on to connect
with the Van Fleet rail trail and on into the Orlando area with many
more miles of interconnected trails.
 
There are a lot of cities and towns in three counties connected by the
existing system, so theoretically the paths could be used for
transportation, but realistically, recreation is what they are
intended to deliver. There are several camping facilities located
along, and near these trails.

 
I was wrong. The current system connects four counties, not three.
 

Indeed I suspect mine and yours differ for most part though I do
occasionally use similar one bit where you use the old road in wales that
is now a cycleway which is slightly surreal having driven it for so many
years.

 
 

Roger Merriman
 
 

 

Roger Merriman
>