The Warren County Bike Trail - I contend that this is a model for the Ludlum Trail

Bicycle tourism is booming and Miami-Dade County needs to continue to add to and improve our bike trails in order to capture this market.

Personally,  Alexandra and I ride locally and enjoy biking the Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, Pinecrest, South Miami and Coral Gable areas on a regular basis.  We have also ridden parts of the Florida Keys, the Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast areas.  Last week (July 22-26) Alexandra and I spent part of my brief time off enjoying The Warren County bikeway it was a definite highlight and it struck me that this is what the Ludlum Trail could be if properly developed. The Ludlum Trail could offer the same opportunities (excluding, of course, the mountain views). We traveled the Warren County Bikeway from the northern start in Lake George Village to its southern end in downtown Glens Falls (though the bike trails continue at each end). The vast majority of the Warren County Bikeway is paved and for non-motor vehicle traffic.

It is interesting to note that it does intermingle with existing roads - it runs through nature preserves, along side commercial, municipal, golf courses and yes, through and part of existing affluent residential (single family home) neighborhoods.  I saw this trail to be well used by joggers, walkers and bikers. as the web site points out, where a separate trail was not possible, the trail intersects with local roads and shares the shoulder.

This trail offers both at ground level crossing with cross-secting streets as well as special over passes that allow users to cross well above and safely away from heavy traffic streets.

Commercial signage is also provided along this route, recognizing that users of this trail use it more more than recreation.  It is a safe route to travel to area businesses.  We observed users traveling to area grocery stores, restaurants and even the area municipal center.

Area shops cater to the business opportunities of the bikeway, including (obviously) the stores that rent the bikes for those who travel to the area to bike the Adirondacks - see: http://www.bikeadirondacks.org/ 

There is signage for schools, the library and other parks,

The bikeway is also used for travel to the jobs connected to these locations as well as to at least one school that we located.

The Warren County Bikeway offers an outstanding run - for work, play and sightseeing.  I highly recommend a trip on the Warren County Bikeway.

I also received a new toy for my birthday - the family gave me a GoPro - so it was appropriate that my first attempt in using this GoPro was filming our travels along the bike way.  Here is the initial start (both of the trail as well as my first attempt, so forgive the primitive first attempt). This video will provide a better feel of what it is like to travel the Warren County Bikeway.

Photos below are of just one of the businesses Alex and I patronized.  Proper bike trails add significant quality of life to the surrounding area.  I look forward to the Ludlum Trail becoming such a centerpiece.