The Charles River Bike Path is a mixed-use path in the Boston, Massachusetts area. A portion of the trail is named after the cardiologist Paul Dudley White, a prominent advocate of preventive medicine. His research led him to proclaim frequently "I'd like to put everybody on bicycles."[2] In 1955 White served as president Eisenhower's cardiologist and prescribed his famous patient bicycle therapy after his 1955 heart attack.
Quick Facts Length, Location ...
Charles River Bike Path |
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Charles River at night, with the Cambridge bike path on the left side of roadway |
Length | 23 mi (37 km) |
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Location | Boston, Massachusetts to Auburndale, Massachusetts |
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Trailheads | Boston Science Museum, Norumbega Park |
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Use | Bicycling, inline skating, walking, paddling, rowing[1] |
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Difficulty | easy |
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Season | year round, some parts not plowed in winter |
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Hazards | street crossings, narrow passing |
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Maintained by | Department of Conservation and Recreation |
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Website | https://www.mass.gov/locations/charles-river-reservation |
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The path follows both shores of the Charles River from Boston, Massachusetts to Norumbega Park in Newton, passing through Watertown and Waltham.[3] The path consists of several segments in the Charles River Reservation separated by road and bridge crossings and forms part of the planned East Coast Greenway, the 3,000-mile trail system connecting cities from Maine to Florida.
In 2004, a $9M master plan to extend the path westward from Watertown Square to Norumbega Park in Newton was completed.[3]
The path continues along the north side of the river from Watertown Square to Bridge Street, there crossing back from Watertown to Newton. This segment was completed in 1997.[8]
The riverwalk then continues along the south bank, crossing back to the north bank at the Blue Heron Bridge, built 2004 just for the path, and continuing to Moody Street in Waltham, near the Charles River Museum of Industry and Waltham Common. The route extends upstream with a combination of paths and streets, to Auburndale, the Newton neighborhood where Norumbega Park is located.[9]
There are plans to extend the path upstream along the curving river to Needham, Dedham, and the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston.[3]