| Bike Path Survey Feed | |||
| The following comments were submitted by respondees who also agreed to be listed as a supporter of this survey. | |||
| From respondees who choose a combined bike path / pedestrian walkway. | |||
| "You have my admiration. I would like to see a walkway around Ocean Drive - a line painted to separate non-motorized traffic - but haven't the time to pursue it, as you have. Thank you. [I am a walker.]" | Constance Metcalf Newport |
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| "The American Disability [Act] requires that pedestrian walkway must be accessible to w.c. user[s]." | DJ Hammadou Newport |
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| "I think the Bike Path is an excellent idea." | Jimmy Winters Newport |
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| "I do not fully under the implications of removing both sides of the tracks. If this track is used for the dinner train, then I vote for removing only the West track." | Andrew Lloyd Newport |
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| "Sounds like an excellent opportunity for our community! | Laura Perry Newport |
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| "Not safe riding for pleasure on streets, w/children especially. Need bike path so we can 'site see' rather than making sure no on hits us". | Kathleen Viveiros Middletown |
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| "It's important not to sacrifice sacrifice any jobs in favor of a bike path! | James Smith Newport |
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| "To remove all of the tracks and take away the operating train would degrade the island's history." | Kristine Smith Newport |
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| "We need to have more bike paths and pedestrian walkways! They will enhance our quality oflife, hence they are economically a smart investment." | Alberto Coll Newport |
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| "I think a multi-use is possible for trains and bikes.". | Evan Smith Jamestown |
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| "Keep both - everyone will be happy.". | Heather Ryan Newport |
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| "I think a Bike/Walkway would be best + would help clean up the track area". | Ian McIntyre Newport |
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| "Bike path is a good idea - though retaining the train is important". | Eric Bronner Newport |
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| "Wonderful Idea. We should have a bike path here years ago." | Phil Dey Newport |
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| "Good Idea! Keep up the good work!." | Brian Sullivan Newport |
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| "I love exercise and the bike path is a very valuable asset." | Joe Ford Newport |
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| "I think this service is much needed. It should go all the way to Portsmouth." | John Newton Newport |
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| "The train has historical importance and value. Bike paths are fantasic community builders and provide revenue for the city. Just look at Bristol's bike path." | Adam Donaldson Jamestown |
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| "A bike path is great entertainment for families. Also Great exercise.". | Susan DeSantis Middletown |
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| "I am pro-mass transit (rail) for bringing visitors to Newport / Aquidneck Island. I "love" the East Bay bike path. - I am pro any bike path project". | Brian Leatherman Newport |
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| "Separate walkway is necessary". | Jessee Burhnect | ||
| "This is a gret idea! I feel it will attract more people to the train and make the area more attractive". | M. Sabins Newport |
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| "The west track is a waste of space, when ony one track is needed. Having a fence run through the two sections will also create a safer area to walk, run, or ride a bike". | Sara E. Aguiar Newport |
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| "I think it would be a great thing to make a bike path. It is very dangerous for bicyclists on the West Main Rd. in Middletown. I would love to see that happen. | Tiffiny Palmer Middletown |
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| "Plant edible species of trees, bushes, etc. | Edward J. Paradise Newport |
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| "I like the idea of the east track for Dinner Train. I like the ambiance of trains". | Gino Martinelli Middletown |
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| "I'm an avid bicyclist and feel strongly about a bike path in Newport". | Rebecca Grinnel Portsmouth |
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| "I am a strong advocate of bike paths wherever possible in Newport and on Aquidneck Island. The terrain and weather are very supportive of biking and we could certainly use alternate forms of transportation, given the traffic density. It is also a tourist attraction. So I would like to see a bike path but also retain the ability to run a train into Newport. Fixed rail is a great way to deal with traffic, and it would be an enhancement to traffic and business travel to have a train that would go to Boston and Providence". | Janne Sahady Newport |
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| "The path would allow people to safely explore some of the more picturesque and obscure areas of the island. People bring money. More accessibility would lend itself to simpler and more cost effective development and maintainance". | L. McCoy Foxboro, MA |
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| "I think this is the best scenario...a way to bike or walk to the rotary from the Point or downtown and preserve our historic railway...". | Leslie Henry Newport |
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| "Please Keep Farewell Street for two way traffic.". | Christopher R. Scott Newport |
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| From respondees who would remove both rails and make it a bike path / pedestrian walkway. | |||
| "Build parking North (Melville Marina) and extend bike path all the way to Newport - Connect to Bristol - East Bay Path. Releive parking in Newport." | Michael Corcoran Newport |
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| "The "bike path" in existense is an insult. I've even called Jack Reed about it." | Evelyn Diaz Parkos Ferretti Middletown |
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| "Newport is so beautiful, it would be nice to have a safe place to walk, rollerblade, or ride a bike." | Jennifer Romagnolo Newport |
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| "Newport is a small city. We do not need more cars!". We do need more planning for smooth flow of traffic, and alternative transport. - Keep Newport Clean!" | Melanie Preston Newport |
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| "Fantastic Idea & long overdue.". | Joseph Gleason | ||
| From respondees who checked first option, i.e., Do nothing, leave the tracks exactly as they are. | |||
| "My concern is the loss of any railroad tracks maay be the 1st step towards creating another vehicular roadway. Tax $ should be spent repairing existing roadways." | Tim Friend Newport |
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| "Bike paths bring families - children. A short divider does nothing. You are leaving yourself open for a dangerous situation. Kids can be killed and so can adults. It's too close together, not safe. Find another place for your bike path. Do the Ocean Driv. - go in the direction of the Bird Sanctuary." | Maureen Desmarais Newport |
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| From respondees who would like to see a South Bound Road and one rail track. | |||
| "I prefer at least one rail track to stay in place to the RR station in Newport. The train from days gone by is attractive in the context of historic Newport. It would lose a lot of its attractiveness if the station were moved to the Play House area.
A bike path / pedestrian walkway would sound attractive IF there were a destination in the Adm.Kalbfus area, but there is none. Not many people will want to walk or bike to the shopping center. My daughter pushes me to get back into biking. Would I use that bike path? Probably not much: The reason is that I would definitely prefer to walk or bike on Washington Street that is much prettier than the trackside. Remove the tracks and build a road into Newport? It is desirable to utilize the dead end road from the bridge ramp to the cemetery with a tie-in to Americas Cup Avenue as part of the redesign of the ramps, rotary, and Connell Highway. This redesign is necessary in any case, and building the road would certainly help clean up the traffic mess in that area. I dont know if sacrificing one track would yield enough width to build a one-lane way into Newport nor do I know if there is any part of the cemetery that can be used for the road without a public outcry. I suppose that a one-lane off-ramp extension into Americas Cup Ave. would improve the traffic since the avenue continues with one lane Southbound anyway. It might even be preferable to a two-lane road that would cause congestion at the merge onto the avenue. The one-lane access would have the additional advantage that it would not entice additional traffic into town for which there is no parking. In conclusion, I would like to see:
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Gunther Hausen Middletown |
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| From respondees who checked first and fourth options. | |||
| "Last thing we need is more vehicles downtown! Make the overweight tourists leave their cars and walk or bike to town". | Chris Heaton Newport |
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| From respondees who checked first and last options. | |||
| "either of the two above". | Mary Nalor Newport |
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| From respondees who checked fourth and last options. | |||
| "Utilize our [Newport's] natural resources - increase our land's value". "I would love to cycle on a path and not a main street to Newport." |
Valerie Norbury Portsmouth |
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| From respondees who did not choose any of the options. | |||
| "Trolley System as defined by the Foundation for Newport". | Jim Osborn Newport |
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| "Put a bike path alongside the tracks. Leave them as we'll need them to move people / commuters + tourists." | John W. Nelson III Newport |
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| Please accept this as an open forum. If you have any additional ideas, please email them to me. I will be happy to add them to this list. | |||