Following less than a month of planning, a historic and scenic bicycle ride took off from North Fall River and New Bedford on the Old Fall River Road. About sixty riders from the two cities and communities of Dartmouth, Westport, Mattapoisett and towns in nearby Rhode Island took off on a chilly November 7th afternoon for the twelve-mile round trip ride. The two groups met at Cornell Pond near Hixville to share some ideas for making bicycling safer and more accessible for those who live or work in the SouthCoast. Encouraging people to walk or bicycle is one of the goals of the statewide Mass In Motion effort to improve the health of the state population by making policy and environmental changes that support active living. Mayors of Fall River and New Bedford and officials from the towns of Westport and Dartmouth along the event route are supporting the effort. Click here for a  video of the event. Click here for the Standard-Times article. For more information, call or e-mail Julianne Kelly, chairwoman of the Open Space & Recreation Planning Task Force, at 508-324-2405 or New Bedford Mass In Motion coordinator Pauline Hamel.

(Top row, left) New Bedford Mass In Motion coordinator Pauline Hamel greets Bonnie DeSouza, president of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path at the Mt. Pleasant Street park-n-ride lot where the New Bedford group began their ride along New Plainville Road. (Top row, center and right) Fall River Mass In Motion coordinator Julie Kelly leads her group of over thirty riders down the bike path along South Watuppa Pond and onto Martine Street as they head for Old Fall River Road. (Middle row) Riders Janice Velozo of the Narragansett Wheelmen/League of American Wheelmen, who helped to organize the ride, and John Sylvia make their way along Old Fall River Road in Westport and Dartmouth where riders joined with those from New Bedford at Cornell Pond. (Bottom row, left) Al Lima talks about some of the history of the area and how the road was once used by stagecoaches and the underground railroad. (Bottom row, center) President of the Fall River Bicycle Club Brian Pearson, who also helped to organize the ride, talks about the importance of planning for bicycle routes throughout the SouthCoast to encourage more people to ride. (Bottom row, right) Renee Dufour, representing New Bedford Mayor Lang, urges everyone to support future development of bicycle routes throughout the area.