The East Coast Greenway Ride Through Delaware Meets Governor Markell

Cyclists riding 325 miles from Philadelphia to Fredericksburg, Virginia on the East Coast Greenway stopped in Wilmington on Monday morning and met Governor Jack Markell to discuss how Delaware has become the fourth most bicycle-friendly state in the country, as well as the development of the East Coast Greenway in Delaware. The governor spoke about upcoming bicycle and trail-related projects and the efforts taken to make these projects a reality.

A rendering of the proposed bridge over the Christina River to complete the Wilmington-New Castle Greenway (part of the East Coast Greenway). Funding for this bridge was included in the capital budget passed by the Delaware General Assembly in June.

The remarkable East Coast Greenway is 2,900-mile route stretches from the Canadian border in Maine and through 15 states and the District of Columbia to Key West, Florida. The ride is a key fundraiser for the East Coast Greenway Alliance, which is coordinating the development of the Greenway.

In May, Delaware was officially ranked as the #4 most “bicycle friendly” state in the U.S. by the League of American Bicyclists. A key part of that ranking has been Delaware’s commitment to building off-road bike routes to connect Wilmington to New Castle and to Newark.

“Every year we get to know our communities and landmarks better, exploring the Eastern Seaboard at a pace that allows us to connect with the rich history, culture and nature of the region. We bring tens of thousands of tourism dollars to the communities we visit and aim to spur further greenway development toward a healthy and sustainable future transportation system,” said Dennis Markatos-Soriano, the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s executive director.

About 60 million people live within 25 miles of the East Coast Greenway, which receives an estimated 10 million visits each year. Many cities along the trail have a bike-friendly designation from the League of American Bicyclists – Newark is one! — and users can follow the route to commute to work and school, or to run errands, or to head out on longer adventures.

The creation of the East Coast Greenway has spurred officials at the state, county and local levels to create safer routes for pedestrians and bicyclists along the route as well as to connect to other trails, leveraging their value. About 30% of the Greenway route is now off-road. The East Coast Greenway Alliance, a non-profit organization based in Durham, N.C. that is coordinating the development of this greenway, has been organizing week-long rides along the route since 2011. More information about the East Coast Greenway is available at www.greenway.org. Anyone interested in next year’s ride can email info@greenway.org