What is the East Coast Greenway? Well, my friends, gather around and I’ll tell you a tale…
Picture the Appalachian Trail… but instead of dirty hippies and deep dark woods (which are both very nice, don’t get me wrong), there was a nicely graveled trail that connected all the major cities, from Boston to Miami and beyond. You can bike the whole way or just a little.That’s what the developers thought. But how?
Thanks to the recent economic developments and ecological movements, bike riding as a means of commuting has become more of the norm than ever before. Sure, bicycling is fun and also healthy, but it appears that more and more Americans are matching their European counterparts in bicycling to work, to the store and to social events.
The Greenway project is most defiantly influenced by the EuroVelo, which is the European cycle route network.
The EuroVelo is a project of the European Cyclists’ Federation to develop 12 long-distance cycle routes crossing Europe. So far, more than 44,000 km (27,340 mi) of 60,000 km (37,282 mi) are in place. Rather impressive! While the main focus of the 12 route EuroVelo is for bicycle touring across the continent, they are also used locally. This is the main difference in the thoughts between the ECG and the EuroVelo and is similar to the Trans-Canada Trail.
The TCT is unique in that it is able to use defunct rail trails as a guide through the country and is intended for multi-use by (depending on the section) hikers, bicyclists, cross country skiers, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.
The creation of the trail was announced as part of Canada’s 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992. The difference with the TCT, the ECG and the EuroVelo (which is still hoping for EU support) is that the TCT is mostly funded by the Canadian government while the other two have relied on corporate and private donors. As of today, 70% of the proposed 18,078 km (11,233 mi) corridor has been completed.
As of the last date check, 21% of the ECG has been completed since its beginnings in 1992. Its intention is different than that of the TCT and the EuroVelo in that it is intended for urban, non motorized transportation along its proposed 3,000 mi(4,828 km route). There are 27 cities planned to be connected by the “spine route” including Portland, Maine; Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; New York City; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, DC, Richmond Virginia; Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville and to on through to the end in Key West, Florida. One of the truly innovative ideas is The ECG will be connecting trails that already exist, its just a matter of getting them into the program and building trails to connect them. Throughout the area, many trails are already in use, but have issues with either accessibility and/or upkeep. For example, you can ride from one end of the island of Manhattan to the other on a buffered lane of Broadway!
This is a prime example of the attitude change in our own country about bike riding. It’s not just for kids anymore! Right here in my own fair city of Philadelphia, where I see more and more bike commuters daily, the formerly named West River Drive, now Martin Luther King Drive, is closed to cars until 5pm on the weekends and the bike lanes on Pine and Spruce Streets are planned to be operational after Labor Day!
I could go on and on about how this project will change the face of America and the world-wide biking culture, but you can read as much as you’d like about it yourself in the links provided to the organizations that are heading up these projects. I’m hoping someday to take a ride on any of the three (or all… if the airlines ever relinquish charging for checked luggage. Sadly, my bike will not fit in the overhead compartment, nor under the seat in front of me) , from one end to the other. And, I won’t even have to bring my gorp… though I probably still will!
About our stealthy guest blogger: Beth is the sole owner and member of The Z is Silent, a project to start an all inclusive arts space in Philadelphia. She envisions a completely modular space where artists can present visual, performing and any other kind of art in a space they themselves can help design and work with instead of in. However, Beth has no money. So, instead she fills her time writing nonsensical and whimsical musings for blogs like Chic Vegan and her own Atoms of Minutiae and being an office drone. She lives with her lovely boyfriend, his mustache, a cat and a dog.
[…] Broadway on a safe, paved Bike Lane protected from traffic by barriers. And right now as we speak, The East Coast Greenway is making huge strides that will soon connect every major city on the East Coast of the US. Even […]