From Rails to Trails: The Making of America's Active Transportation Network

From Rails to Trails: The Making of America's Active Transportation Network by Peter Harnik

The rails to trails program had initially picked up some steam in the midwest. Railroad right of ways were "railbanked" to prevent development and allow for trails. Seattle's Burke-Gilman trail was one of the first trails built in the heart of a city. New York City's High Line and Chicago's 606 were popular elevated urban rail to trail conversions. Successful rail to trail conversions require advocacy, planning and government support. There are often challenges to overcome. Sometimes nearby property owners are afraid of potential crime or decreased property values. It may take some effort to convince them that trails almost always increase property values. Other times they expect to be able to use the trails for their own purpose. Railbanking "banks" the right of way for future rail use, prohibiting development, but allowing trails. There may also be challenges with bridges and passings. There are often regulations that require removing the bridges when a path is abandoned - however these are some of the beneficial bits of infrastructure on trails. Work may be needed to retain or rebuild these bridges. 

Rails with trails can also work well. With these the biggest challenge is the railroads fear of liability. Even when they are relieved of liability they have trouble overcoming this fear. For trail users, a trail next to an active train line remains much safer than a road filled with cars. 

Rail to trail conversions attract various users. They are typically flat and direct and have few road crossings. This makes them ideal for bike commuters. Runners, snowmobile users and horse riders also are heavy users of trails. Some traverse long distances and are great for bikepacking expeditions. Others are short urban lines. Some are open at all times while others are more restricted. Sometimes a trail changes character as it passes through different regions. We are getting more trails available.

The author has been quite involved in the rails to trails movement and covers many of the challenges and successes in the book. There seems to be strong support for trails, but there still remain opponents and financial constraints.

Bicycling in Seattle, 1879-1904

Bicycling in Seattle, 1879-1904 by Frank Cameron

This is a short history of the first bicycle boom in Seattle. Seattle missed some of the earlier booms, such as the penny farthings. However, it took big to the late 1800s safety bike boom. There were once dozens of bike shops on second avenue. Multiple velodroms appeared all around the regions. The bicycle advocates also wanted roads to ride on. Hills posed challenges, but there were still various bike routes created. They worked hard to improve existing roads and to build roads to travel on. There was a bicycle toll road started to the south. It was never completed, but did have a viaduct through the mud flats built. Other key routes were improved with cinder trails. (However, they had to make sure animals were kept off.) Alas, the bicycle boom tapered off. Many of these bicycle routes become roads, while building lots encroached on others. Interlaken is one of the few remnants. Just imagine if we still had the network radiating from downtown connecting to other places.

Geronimo Stilton: The Race Across America

The Race Across America (Geronimo Stilton, No. 37) by Geronimo Stilton, cover by Giuseppe Ferrario, illustrations by Danilo Brazzi, Francesco Castelli and Christian Aliprandi

Geronimo Stilton is a mouse that likes reading. Bike parts showing up in the mail. Then his friend tells him that they will be competing in the race across America. They go through a lot of training and decide that they will use it to support a children's hospital. they have challenges during the race, but enjoy the scenery and manage to barely win. The book is fun stylistically. It is halfway between a book and graphic novel. There is some narrative, but also plenty of small callout pictures and text.