In the last month, cities on each coast of the United States have completed long-awaited active transportation projects that will make it easier for the increasing number of active commuters to go safely from home to work and back.

 

In Los Angeles, a 5.5-mile biking and pedestrian path in the southern part of the city repurposes a dormant railroad route to connect two thriving metro lines. The goal for this trail is to provide safe, separated areas for residents to get exercise or commute to school and work. The corridor features shade trees, benches, lighting, and security cameras to encourage use of the trail, which already hosts over 4,000 pedestrians and about 2,500 cyclists every day, according to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO).

On the other side of the country, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) opened dedicated pedestrian and biking paths along two bridges into the city: Robert F. Kennedy and Queensboro Bridges. These ADA-accessible paths are intended to help commuters who live close to a mass transit option that they might be deterred from taking due to the lack of pedestrian or biking infrastructure between the station and their homes. According to the MTA, other bridges are undergoing similar renovations.