Memorial Day brought the usual traffic we’ve all come to know and dread. What may have been somewhat less expected was congestion on the new trails nearly complete from Lewes beyond Sweetbriar Road to Log Cabin Road on the way to Georgetown.
If you have not walked, run or cycled along this trail, you are missing one of the most beautiful attractions of our region.
Flat and mostly shady, it’s a corridor that’s home to songbirds, and fragrant with honeysuckle and wildflowers.
It is also becoming a favorite for cyclists and pedestrians as well as a new route to the beach. One family of five recently headed down the trail on a bicycle built for two and another built for three, with beach chairs and umbrella carefully balanced on the back.
The trail is also still new, and as we have pointed out before, the rules remain confusing.
Getting to the trail on a road, pedestrians should walk on the left, facing traffic. But once on the trail, pedestrians should instead move right. This is counterintuitive – even scary – because you can’t see the cyclists behind you. It’s critical for cyclists overtaking slower trail users to call out “on your left,” for those lulled by the trail’s peacefulness. It’s not rude. It’s helpful.
Just like on a roadway, cyclists or runners overtaking others must wait until there are no oncoming trail-users. Walkers should not have to step off the trail to let others pass.
Most critically, when the trail crosses roads, cyclists and pedestrians must stop and watch for traffic.
Our trails are for everyone – walkers, runners, children on training wheels and experienced cyclists. This is shared space. It’s not a raceway. It’s illegal to walk dogs off leash. Even the best-behaved dogs can be startled, and an unleashed dog may startle experienced cyclists, not to mention children.
New attractions require user education. State officials would do well to stencil trail access points to indicate pedestrians should keep right.
Trail etiquette is simple, but it must be made clear for everyone.
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Editorials are considered and written by Cape Gazette Editorial Board members, including Publisher Chris Rausch, Editor Jen Ellingsworth, News Editor Nick Roth and reporters Ron MacArthur and Chris Flood.
