Minuteman Bikeway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Minuteman Bikeway is a paved mixed-use path/rail trail in suburban Boston, Massachusetts. This 10 mile (16 km) trail is a key component of the region's strategy for reducing automobile traffic and emissions.
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[edit] Route
The Minuteman Bikeway runs from Bedford to the Alewife station at the northern end of the MBTA Red Line in Cambridge. It passes through the towns of Lexington and Arlington on the way. At its Cambridge terminus, the bikeway connects with two other bike paths - the Fitchburg Cutoff Path and the Cambridge Linear Park which, in turn, leads to the Somerville Community Path. The Minuteman bikeway passes several notable regional sites, including Alewife Brook Reservation, Spy Pond and Arlington’s Great Meadows.
[edit] History
The Minuteman trail closely approximates the route that Paul Revere took on his famous ride in 1775, which heralded the beginning of the American Revolution.
The right-of-way was laid out east of Lexington in 1846 by the Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad and west of Lexington in 1873 by the Middlesex Central Railroad.
The line was railbanked in 1991. The property is currently owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and leased to the municipalities through which it passes on an interim basis.
[edit] Uses
Area residents use the bikeway for a host of activities, including bicycling, walking, jogging, and inline skating. In the winter there is often enough snow on the bikeway for cross-country skiing, as the bikeway is largely unplowed. No motorized vehicles are allowed except for powered wheelchairs and emergency vehicles. Plans are underway to extend the bikeway to downtown Boston via the Somerville Community Path.
