[fatlazyless]

Yes, it's certainly true that the local hills combined with narrow shoulder lanes are a challenge to bicyclers. Isn't that all the more reason to utilize the state owned, railroad right-of-way and turn it into an incredibly scenic, waterfront, public use, bicycle-walking path.

Once it get's built, how popular will it be, and how long will it be in use......10-20-50-100 years?

Bicycling up a hill is indeed very strenuous. Bicycling along a mostly flat, waterfront scenic trail, without the danger of cars & trucks is much more appealing so all the more reason to build it. Good bicycles can be found at yard sales for low prices, and can last for many years. A decent bike can cost from $25 used, to $1000 for the new, light weight, skinny machines. Build a local wow trail and it could attract plenty to come use it.

Twelve feet is the standard width for a New Hampshire automobile lane, and is also the proposed width for the wow trail which would have two-way traffic, as I understand. Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, have bicycle-walking paths on both sides of the Charles River that run out to Watertown, about 12 miles away, and these paths seem to be 12' wide or less. It all works ok even with some very heavy use at times.