|
Pedal
Pushers
This spring, New Hampshire will have a new map of bike routes
for the Granite State.
by
Dan Mathers
Cyclists in
New Hampshire will soon have a new map to guide them around the
White Mountains and the seacoast.
In late spring, the state’s Department of Transportation will
publish a new map highlighting commuter and recreational bike
routes throughout New Hampshire. The department originally
published one in 2002, but that was mainly for commuting by
bike. The new map will also focus on recreational opportunities,
with an eye toward expanding the state’s cycling community.
“We’re really enhancing those maps now to encourage people to
bike,” says Tom Jameson, the department’s Bicycle and Pedestrian
Engineer. “The real goal is to increase riders.”
The reasons for trying to boost cycling aren’t just about global
warming. From a transportation standpoint, says Jameson, the
more people use bikes, the fewer cars are being used, which
means less road work is required, lanes don’t need to be
expanded and so on. And, as Jameson says, if people commute by
bike just one day a week, that’s one day a week their car isn’t
being used.
“The trip doesn’t always have to be in the car,” says Jameson.
Many people want to commute by bike, says Jameson, but they are
wary that it isn’t safe. He hopes the new map will build
confidence among cyclists so they are more inclined to go on the
road.
To create the new map, department officials held public meetings
all around the state, gathering ideas and suggested routes. One
trend, says Jameson, was mountain bikers mostly just wanted
information on trailheads and where they could park, information
that is included in the new maps. Those riders didn’t
necessarily want info on the trails themselves, because they
enjoy finding them and exploring them on their own.
Besides roadway routes, the new maps will feature rail trails,
with notes reminding cyclists that some trails are more
developed than others. Some require mountain bikes.
Most of the routes on the map are relatively short, says
Jameson. However, the state is working to build a cycling
infrastructure that will feature longer routes. Among the
favorite routes, he says, is Franconia Notch Bike Path, a scenic
7-mile route. Other favorite areas are Keene, which has roughly
nine miles of rail trails, and a roughly 30-mile stretch from
Lebanon to Danbury.
When it is released, the map will be available at the states’
Welcome Centers and many bike shops. Cyclists can also contact
the Department of Transportation to receive a copy. The
department’s website is
www.nh.gov/dot/nhbikeped/.
|
