Re: cycling
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During the past few weeks, I took out my long-unused bicycle, and per doctor’s orders, cycled around Ivy Hill and adjacent neighborhoods, only to find out how bicycle unfriendly Warrenton is.
Yesterday, for example, I decided to bike over to Rady Park and try out the trail that crosses Bear Wallow Road, only to find a dead-end at a fence and no way out of the housing development except to turn around and bike back the way I came.
The much-touted Greenway is longer, but comes to a similar dead end.
When I bike over to one of the shopping centers on U.S. 29, there is no place to park. Hundreds of spaces for cars, and not one bicycle rack. I even saw “no bicycling” signs posted (listed with skateboarding as undesirable). Are bicyclists not consumers, too?
It would be much easier to build bicycling back into my lifestyle if I could use it to run short errands and park at a café or store.
If I brave my way up the narrow roads to Old Town Warrenton, again, there is no place to park my bicycle.
Take a closer look around town. Do we have sufficient crosswalks and pedestrian lights to permit safe crossing of multi-lane roads? Are sidewalks continuous? Do we have any designated bicycle lanes on or parallel to roads? Do schools, public buildings, parks and sport facilities have bicycle racks? Do we educate drivers and bicyclists about safe ways to share the road?
When I was a kid, we walked or bicycled to local schools, parks and ball fields. We worked off our ice cream, soda and candy calories with the exertion of getting to the store and back. My kids and their friends expect rides.
No wonder we give in and drive five minutes to the neighborhood shopping center; it’s not safe to bike.
This summer, with rising concerns about obesity, high gas prices and global warning, I challenge town council members and county supervisors to park their cars, take out their bicycles, and see if they can find ways to make our town and county fit for healthier lifestyles.
Virginia Palmer-Fuechsel
Warrenton
I do agree that the lack of bicycle racks around town can hinder one's choices in transportation, but there is always walking. You can access the WARF from Rady Park (walking or cycling). There is a small path in the Silver Cup subdivision that links up to the Olde Gold Cup sub.
From someone who covered this entire town on foot training for a marathon, there are plenty of neighborhoods to walk/bike through that will also give you access to others. Yes, there are roads that you have to cross, but most towns are in the same boat Unless you can get to the W & OD trail, C & O Canal and other walkable areas, most require you to cross a neighborhood street or highway. The entire town East of the bypass can be covered w/o crossing a major highway--town streets, yes, but not like crossing Rt. 29.
I think it would be nice if the town put together some type of walk/bike route that would inform residents of paths that are available
Posted by gwhillikers
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