East End Bike Path

Natural speed bump in the East End Bike Path: frost heaves

I have blogged about some other bike paths, and yet I drive along the East End bike path a number of times a day and have never mentioned it. It extends from the 4-way stop sign (Subway, the Caribou Restaurant intersection) that marks the beginning of East End Road out to the Gear Shed, about 3.5 miles. It is a rolling path, and there are many cross-streets and business entrances that cross it, so it is busier than, say, the spit trail. And on top of that is this interesting development: nearly all the culverts underneath this trail "popped" a few yeas ago, creating a series of maybe a dozen or more built-in speed bumps. Frost heaves did their job and yet they weren't as noticeable until a year or so ago, when each bump was painted yellow with a warning "Bump" painted onto the path, warning users of the upcoming bump.

The view along the East End Bike Path is decidedly industrial. If you can overlook that, the view is great.

What is exciting for those of us who live out East End Road is that this summer is "the" summer that the bike path is going to be extended another mile or so, out to around Waterman Road. This plan has been in the works for a long time. Because the winter was so mild (note how little snow is left!) they were able to get out there a few weeks ago and cut the trees and begin prep work on the path construction. Electric lines will need to be moved to the other side of the road, culverts and fill brought in and more in this somewhat hilly section. It will not be a quick project. I am guessing, though, that traffic on it will increase greatly, and a round-trip run on it will end up being about 9-10 miles, which is better than the current 7.

East End Road just past Mile 4, right about where the path extension will start