East Bay Bike Path
| East Bay Bike Path | |
|---|---|
|
The East Bay Bike Path in July 2009, facing south near the southern terminus of the bike path in Bristol. | |
| East Bay Bike Path | |
| Established | 1992 |
| Length | 14.5 miles (23.3 km) |
| Location | Bristol County, Rhode Island |
| Designation | East Coast Greenway |
| Trailheads |
India Point Park Bristol, Rhode Island |
| Use | Hiking, Walking, Cycling |
| Hiking details | |
| Trail difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All year |
| Months | 12 |
| Sights | Narragansett Bay |
| Website | http://www.riparks.com/Locations/LocationEastBay.html |
The East Bay Bike Path is a 14.5-mile (23.3 km) paved rail trail in Rhode Island.
The path begins at Providence and India Point Park, crosses the Seekonk River via the George Redman Linear Park (expected Nov. 2014 opening) and Washington Bridge and continues southeastern to Bristol along the shoreline of Narragansett Bay. The path passes through the city of East Providence, hamlet of Riverside as well as the townships of Barrington and Warren.
It is part of the East Coast Greenway and provides access to Haines State Park, Brickyard Pond (Barrington) and Colt State Park. It is used annually by 1.1 million people.
History
The plan for what would become Rhode Island's first major bike path was approved in April 1983 by Governor Edward DiPrete. It was built from 1987 to 1992,[1] following the abandoned rail bed of the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad. The property was acquired and constructed in four phases:
- Riverside Square to Barrington County Road (4.17 miles or 6.71 kilometres)
- County Road, Barrington to Franklin Street, Warren (2.38 miles or 3.83 kilometres)
- Franklin Street, Warren to Independence Park, Bristol (3.87 miles or 6.23 kilometres)
- Riverside Square to India Point Park, Providence (3.98 miles or 6.41 kilometres) **(Currently the pedestrian span of the Washington Bridge is closed due to construction and pedestrian/bike traffic is diverted north to the Henderson Bridge. The Washington Bridge expects a late summer 2014 re-opening.)
The completed path was dedicated on May 31, 1992, by Governor Bruce Sundlun. An 8.5 mile on-road, via bike lane, was completed in 2011, linking the East Bay Bike Path with the south tip of the Blackstone River Bikeway, a 48-mile (77 km) trail, which will link Providence with Worcester, Massachusetts. Rhode Island's next project will be connecting the East Bay Bike Path with the Washington Secondary Rail Trail.
See also
- Blackstone River Bikeway
- Washington Secondary Rail Trail
- Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island
- Washington Bridge (Providence, Rhode Island)
- India Point Park
- Colt State Park
References
External links
- East Bay Bike Path Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Parks and Recreations Division
- East Bay Bike Path Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island
- Video of trail
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