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The Cross City Trail officially opens

Submitted by WWAY on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 6:25pm.READ MORE:

The first phase of a new bicycle and walking trail is officially open in Wilmington, called The Cross City Trail. City leaders opened the first section near Eastwood Road and Rogersville Road. Once complete the paved trail will be 10 miles long. The two mile section that opened today cost over $550,000. A park bond is helping offset some of the cost, most of the funding will come from the city's budget. Wilmington Mayor, Bill Saffo said, "A lot of my friends and family are currently using it and they love. I feel that as time goes on and with alternative modes of transportation a lot more people will be using it" The trail will be complete in five to seven years.

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Why we ride "in the middle of the road"

Submitted by Anthony King (not verified) on Mon, 10/06/2008 - 11:42pm.

Motorists who have never used their bicycle as serious transportation on major roads have a hard time understanding why cyclists ride "in the middle of the road." Riding to the far right of the lane allows cars to squeeze by in the same lane as the cyclist, which they often do without slowing down at all. This results in a car passing at a high speed 2-4 feet away from the unprotected cyclist, which leaves little room for error. If the cyclist moves out into the lane the driver realizes he needs to use the next lane to pass the cyclist and passes at a much greater distance, often slowing down while passing. Getting hit directly from behind while "taking the lane" is statistically rare (2% off car/bike collisions), so experienced cyclists move out onto the road so that they'll be passed in a safer manner. I know this method seems counterintuitive, but thats how it works. The more you more toward the right, the less room you get. The more you move to the left, the more room passing drivers give you. I know that seems crazy, but that's how it works. If you don't believe me I invite you to try it yourself.

BMX Track Needed

Submitted by NCBMX (not verified) on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 11:55pm.

We Need A BMX Track for the kids and familys. The cost would be alot less. Its a good growing sport an Olympic sport also. Come on wilm Step up. we have all this other bike stuff here.

Just what we need....

Submitted by Guest007 (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 4:46pm.

Just what we need.... $550,000 only covered 2 miles... Wonder how a miss mannaged city budget will get the rest of the money for the other planned 10 miles of trail???? Probably be another rise in taxes on my house... Time to get out of the city limits!!!!!!!

No serious bikers are going

Submitted by Wilmington Biker (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 11:19am.

No serious bikers are going to use this. I personally am going to stay on the road, where I am not forced to stop every 200 yards. Real bike paths are not glorified sidewalks, they have bridges and tunnels to keep bike traffic isolated. Is the path going to be monitored by police, so that bikers that do not obey their stop signs are ticketed??

Dear bikers (not motorcycles)

Submitted by guest276090 (not verified) on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 11:35pm.

Now....we've spent tons of $ for you to have a place to ride your bike (not to mention tons of parks in the city). PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROADS!!! I can't stand it when a bicyclist rides 2 feet into a car's lane. Let's make sense of it.....cars take gas, which is charged highway tax, therefore the car paid for the road. Bikes belong in parks and on trails. Not to mention, the less likely for you to get hit by a car....the less likely the insurance industry will have to repair you.

As usual, another limited

Submitted by Guest00000000 (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 5:51pm.

As usual, another limited view comment from our city's fine resident.

In a perfect world...

Submitted by Emily (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 5:25pm.

Cyclists would not have to use the same roads as cars to transport themselves. But here in Wilmington where the bike paths start and end haphazardly and are few and far between, cars and cyclists must coexist. As a driver and biker, I understand the frustration one feels having to swerve around bikers who are in the roads. But biking is not only a hobby but a way to exercise, get from place to place, save money and produce zero emissions. I bike whenever possible instead of drive. So please understand that bike paths are not set up in this town to enable bikers to stay off the roads. Believe me, I know bikers are not fond of risking their lives to be next to you. If we look out for each other, we will all be better off.

Unfortunately, state law disagrees with you

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 9:38am.

That bicyclist has just as much right to be on that road as you do. What do you do when you come upon a farm vehicle moving slowly along the road? You wait until it is safe, and you then pass. Do the same with bicycles. You CAN'T be in that much of a hurry. (BTW, your car helps to tear up that road, which is why you pay to maintain it. Bicyles do no damage.)

My father

Submitted by Justin America (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 10:56pm.

I grew up in a house next to a cemetary and I remember what my father used to say. "Son, a lot of those people had the right of way." Now, stay off the road with your bike. They are krunked up enough with dimwits and slow drivers on poorly paved, poorly planned, poorly lit, poorly signed NHC "roads".... Oh, and put let's get DOT to put in over-passes and car width shoulders everywhere.

Farm vehicle in Wilmington city limits?

Submitted by Guest276099 (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 9:13pm.

I honestly have no problem with bikes on the roads, but for the last 20 years I've had a license and driven the Wilmington streets, I can honestly say that the majority of bikers I pass (the bikers with the tight clothes, racing helmet, french writing on their shirts, etc) tend to stick at least 1 or 2 feet to the left of the white line. It's not often I see those bikers obeying traffic laws (stopping at red lights). I'll learn to have much more respect for those individuals when they begin to show a little more respect for the drivers around them. I passed a fellow who appeared to be riding his $25 bike to work (had his tool belt over his shoulder).....and he was as close to the edge of the road as he could possibly get(on the white line if not a tad to the right). That's the individual that I have no problem with on the roads.....not the guy on the $1,000 bike who's 1 foot to the left of the white line.

Guess what a backhoe is considered?

Submitted by Commonsensenotc... on Sun, 08/31/2008 - 9:44am.

Bicyclists have a perfect right to get in the center of the lane, if they so choose, and if they're on a road bike they will likely be faster than that backhoe blocking rush-hour traffic on Wrightsville Avenue. I fully agree that bicyclists should be considerate, stay to the side of the lane, and obey all traffic laws. What I take issue with is the "get off my road" attitude displayed in the post I replied to. (BTW, road bikes do not do well at the far edge of the lane because of the crumbling edge and the unforgiving nature of the skinny road tires. A small fissure can send you flying. I ride a mountain racer specifically because its wider tires can handle the crumbling edges and if need be, I can go off the road for an approaching emergency vehicle or oversize load.)

5 - 7 years?!

Submitted by sdsurfer (not verified) on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 7:18pm.

"The trail will be complete in five to seven years." The City must be using the same contractor that did Military Cutoff! Damn, by that time, if the construction is as shoddy as Military Cutoff, they'll be re-paving what they did this year. Makes one wonder if they'll put a half-dozen stoplights in as well.

Cross-city trail

Submitted by Guest2 (not verified) on Fri, 08/29/2008 - 10:42pm.

The trail goes across the whole City doofus. Much more complicated that you realize.

Doofus?...

Submitted by sdsurfer (not verified) on Sat, 08/30/2008 - 9:35am.

I'm well aware of the length of this planned "trail". One would assume that the planning has already been done in terms of the route it will take. Or has it? To take that length of time to pave 10 miles is absurd. Don't talk about how complicated it is. It isn't. Excavate, install the base, and pave.

Parts of the Cross-City

Submitted by Guest435 (not verified) on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 10:50am.

Parts of the Cross-City Trail will be built by private land owners along with planned developments. The city has no influence over their schedule. Other parts will be built with planned roadway projects, which are already scheduled. All of this is in an effort to save taxpayers money. Of course, from what I read on many of these forums, the "goverment" can never do anything right.

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