Environmental Commission Approves Letter Supporting Bike Route Studies

The Ocean City Environmental Commission voted Tuesday night to approve a letter of support for two studies of potential bicycle routes in Ocean City.

The ongoing state Department of Transportation studies are preliminary and will identify the issues surrounding the creation of a safe bike route that would run the length of the Ocean City and connect the island's four bridges.

One of the studies is of a potential new trail on an abandoned stretch of railroad bed between 36th and 49th streets. Some Ocean City residents have publicly opposed the idea of a paved trail because the rail bed traverses marshlands.

The commission's letter makes no stand on the issue of the rail trail but asks the state to not let opposition derail the studies.

"Our larger concern is that a few loud voices threaten the completion of both studies by focusing only on the part (Rail Trail) instead of the whole (Bicycle Boulevard)," the letter says. "... Should the Rail Trail option prove not feasible and have to be abandoned, then the Bicycle Boulevard Project, which includes evaluating alternatives to the Rail Trail, becomes an even more important study."

The studies are likely to be complete by summer and may recommend yet more studies—the creation of new bike trails is not imminent.

But the Environmental Commission letter backs the concept:

"As our population swells to 150,000 people on summer weekends, many of whom are families attempting to navigate the island by bike, we support the idea of providing a safe and environmentally friendly biking alternative to driving."

To read the full Environmental Commission letter, click on the PDF icon to the above.

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