The Somers Point Bike Path is a

multi-use trail A shared-use path, mixed-use path or multi-use pathway is a path which is 'designed to accommodate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists'. Examples of shared-use paths include sidewalks designated as shared-use, bridleways and rail trails. A ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

with a total length of . Four small cities are tied together by this 6.5 mi. trail made up of many small sections with various names. A few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, a sign that reads "Somers Point Bicycle Path" welcomes you. The trail continues north through Linwood,

Northfield Northfield may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Northfield, Aberdeen, Scotland * Northfield, Edinburgh, Scotland * Northfield, Birmingham, England * Northfield (Kettering BC Ward), Northamptonshire, England United States * Northfield, Connec ...

, and Pleasantville. The trail continues through neighborhoods, schools, parks, and playing fields providing safer routes for children to walk. The path runs parallel to Shore Road. The path also provides a two-story, 2,800-square foot visitor's centers well as restrooms and parking. Along the path there are also four fishing piers and boardwalks in addition to boat ramps with parking for boat trailers.

History

The

Atlantic City and Shore Railroad The Shore Fast Line was an electric interurban railroad running from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Ocean City, New Jersey, by way of the mainland communities of Pleasantville, Northfield, Linwood and Somers Point. The line of about ran from 1907 ...

, also known as the ''Shore Fast Line'' opened in 1906, connecting

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

to Somers Point. In 1907, the line extended into Ocean City, and continued operations until 1946, when the bridge across the Great Egg Harbor Bay burned. On January 18, 1948, service along the Shore Fast Line was discontinued and replaced by a bus line. In the 1970s, cities along the former railroad line began removing the track in the 1970s, and converting into a walking path by adding street lights and stop signs. The portion in Linwood was named after George K. Francis, the city's mayor from 1952 to 1971. The bike path originally existed from Somers Point to southern Linwood. After planning for 10 years, the city of Northfield constructed its bike path in 2000 after receiving a $391,930 grant from the state of New Jersey. On the northern end, the path connects with U.S. Route 30 along local roads in Pleasantville, although the city applied for a grant to build an extension. Pleasantville built portion of its bike path in 2001 at the cost of $178,182 from various grants. The bike path connects with the newly built bridge along

New Jersey Route 52 Route 52 is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway runs from 9th Street in Ocean City, Cape May County north to U.S. Route 9 (New Road) in Somers Point, Atlantic County. It is composed mostly of a se ...

via Central Avenue, adjacent to

Somers Mansion Somers Mansion is a historic house at Shore Road and Somers Point Circle in Somers Point, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1725 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. See also * National Register of Historic ...

. The state of New Jersey provided a $200,000 grant to extend the path along Central Avenue, with the city of Somers Point covering the remaining $50,000 of the cost. The city applied for another $200,000 grant to finish the project.Landau, J. (n.d.). Bike Paths Lead to Communities Finding Themselves. Retrieved December 5, 2012, from pressofatlanticcity.com website: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/work-to-start-on-project-connecting-somers-point-bike-path/article_09f0d340-2e64-11e0-907a-001cc4c03286.html

References

{{Rail trails in New Jersey Rail trails in New Jersey Bike paths in New Jersey Tourist attractions in Atlantic County, New Jersey Somers Point, New Jersey Linwood, New Jersey Northfield, New Jersey Pleasantville, New Jersey