Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island

The [http://www.rigreenways.org/ Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island] is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy for Rhode Island's bike paths, trails and greenspaces. It also is a state committee of the East Coast Greenway.

The Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island (GARI) communicates with its members and others through its website [http://www.rigreenways.org/ www.rigreenways.org] and a quarterly newsletter called "Trail Mix," copies of which also can be found on the organization's website.

GARI in the past few years has expanded its focus beyond the bike paths that make up segments of the East Coast Greenway in Rhode Island, and now advocates for all paths and trails. The group's constituency has expanded to include hikers, walkers, equestrians, mountain bikers and even canoe and kayak users through a recent effort with Rhode Island's watershed council to promote "blueways." This term describes "trails" or trips that can be taken on the state's waterways - mostly river systems.

GARI's board meets regularly, usually monthly. The group meets at Gibbs College in Cranston, which is located on the Cranston Bike Path, and often hold a group ride before meetings. Schedules are posted on the web site.

History

GARI began in 1992 as the state committee for the East Coast Greenway. In May 2001, GARI began expanding its focus to include advocacy for all bike paths and bike routes, as well as hiking trails. In Fall 2001, the group began publishing a quarterly newsletter called "Trail Mix". In Fall 2002, the group registered a unique domain name for its website, http://www.rigreenways.org/ www.rigreenways.org] , and has built it into a resource where all groups, not just GARI, can post calendar listings and news.

GARI has been active in advocating for bike paths, bike routes and the Safe Routes to Schools program. The organization has attended numerous meetings to speak on its position. This included rallying support before the Narragansett Town Council in 2003 when local opposition seemed to doom an extension of the South County Bike Path. The result of GARI's actions was a larger turnout of Narragansett residents, not just a small group of abutters, who came out to tell town officials they wanted the bike path. Although the process has been lengthy [http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/newsblog/archives/2007/01/] , the [http://www.dot.ri.gov/bikeri Rhode Island Department of Transportation] is advancing the plans and anticipates construction beginning in 2008 or 2009.

Event history

Each September, GARI hosts R.I. Trails Month.