In 1997, I had my first experience with a multi-use rec path. That summer, my family and I were vacationing in Washington. When we visited Seattle, we decided to rent bikes and ride the Burke-Gilman Trail. This 20-mile, paved, multi-use path connects downtown Seattle with Lake Washington and other city parks. It was recommended as an easy ride, “perfect for families who want a safe and fun way to explore away from motor traffic.”
As we passed through one of the busy parks, I noticed unfamiliar markings on the pavement. The trail had a center line separating “wheeled” (tire tracks) traffic from “pedestrian” (footprints) traffic. We didn’t quite get the message. At that point, we were walking and almost got run over by a cyclist because we were in the “wheeled” lane. Once we understood the rules and designations, we made sure we were in the correct lane for our mode of travel.
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