Editor, Smithfield Times

Based on the angst that some of our elected officials have expressed over the design of the park-to-park pedestrian and bike trail, it is evident that they are stuck in the paradigm that the trail is for recreational use only.

They need to spend a few minutes looking at the county’s Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. The park-to-park trail is the first component of an alternative transportation network that will eventually stretch to Eagle Harbor and along the Route 17 and Route 10 corridors.

Sure, the trail will be used for recreation, but it will also be used by those interested in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle for commuting to school and local jobs and for running miscellaneous errands. This has been the experience for communities that have built bicycle trail networks. Examples can be found in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington.

Greg Vassilakos
Smithfield