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Are Rails to Trails a good thing? (Patreon)

Published:
2023-02-20 15:01:02
Imported:
2026-10
Tags:

Content

How problematic is it to turn a disused rail line into a bike trail?

Files

Why Rails to Trails is Problematic [ft. HovCity Ebike]

Check out the Bike here! https://www.hovsco.com/products/hovcity-step-thru-cruiser?ref=URBANIST The Armchair Urbanist Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlistlist=PLhycIWhOLttikNg2Z1aJvGPoqijpGs9qh My Second Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3VLdvwf4NKDkCYAiB0NAhw Posters and other Merch here: https://armchair-urbanist-2.creator-spring.com/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/alanthefisher Discord here: https://discord.gg/urbanist My Twitter: https://twitter.com/alanthefisher Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alanthefisher Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:41 What is Rails to Trails? 1:23 Good Examples 2:45 Bike Ad 3:30 Problematic Trails 6:14 The Real Enemy of Bikes 7:34 Another Good Example 9:01 Outro

Comments

Robert Baron

blogger Cap'n Transit has spoken out a lot on this issue. Particularly in the NY metro area, there are abandoned rail lines which should be reacticated instead of being turned into trails. Rails-to-Trails reinforces car- and truck-dependency, and keeps former vibrant town centers crappy. The trains used to bring pedestrian street life and trails, despite their boosters, bring far far fewer riders than the train did. Trails do provide a minimal recreation space used mostly on weekends. It is ironic that such recreation space is needed though, considering how the huge yards of single-family homes is supposed to substitute for that need. The supposed safe streets of the suburbs don't exist because of the car- and truck-dependency of sprawl. Trails recreation, not transportation, focus has been confirmed by recent bans on e-bikes on trails in NY metro. A trail like the Empire State Trail in Westchester County and northern Bronx follows the abandoned Putnam Railroad main line. It is in a north-south running valley, making it hard to reach from points east and west (steep hills) except on an e-bike (or a car with a bike-carrier). E-bikes make the trail more practical for routine transportation trips, but bans render the trail much less useful. For most people, the trail is useless except for recreation. Your point about connections is important. The Empire State Trail goes through the village of Ardsley, NY, which once had a vibrant downtown partially obliterated by two highways. The Trail has very poor and dangerous access to the commercial center of Ardsley; it is terrifying to cycle or even walk there from the trail access point.