This is the letter which I submitted to the CPC hearing. Please forward it to the membership. 
Community Preservation Committee 
November 19, 2008 
Dear Members, 
I was a member of the first bike path committee when it met in about 1978. Thirty years ago. That group was made up of thoughtful, intelligent and concerned citizens who felt that a bike path was a worthwhile and necessary addition to our community. Since that first meeting various efforts have been made to proceed with the project, but with the many obligations we all had and with the many objections that others had, the project always seemed to end up on the back burner. I personally held back because several of my friends seemed so upset about it. So while the rest of Martha's Vineyard and the mainland enjoyed the advantages of bike paths for three decades, Chappaquiddick has been without one, and those thirty years have not been without incident. 
My children grew up without the choice of a safe bike ride to the ferry. Cars and bikes should not have to share the same pavement. I rode my bike to the ferry at least twice a day this past summer and on at least half of the trips I was compelled to get off onto the shoulder because I felt endangered by the automobile traffic. Nobody in a car an truly operate safely around a child or even an adult on a bicycle. A person on a bike can easily wobble ten feet and unless drivers wait to pass when they can get completely into the other lane they have come too close. 
So those that didn't want a bike path have enjoyed three decades without one. Now it's time to get on with it. I have five grandchildren. They and I have the right to a safe bike ride in our community. My main purpose in taking over the Chappy Ferry was to provide myself with a job where my grandchildren could work with me. They will be riding their bikes down to the ferry to go to work in a few short years. I will continue to ride my bike down to the ferry on a regular basis. Everyone who rides a bike, pushes a baby stroller, walks a dog or hikes along the road should be able to do so safely. 
Those that don't like the bike path concept for aesthetic reasons should know that this committee is very concerned about addressing that issue. Those that claim that there are statistically more accidents on bike paths than on roadways should remember that statistics are meaningless without knowledge. I can tell you from personal experience that riding on a bike path is better than riding on the road. The design of a safe and beautiful bike path takes a great deal of planning and will require consultation with professionals. We need to begin the process of design with a more detailed survey. Then we will be able to identify the true obstacles which we will encounter and work out solutions which we will be able to explain to the community. I know that there are strong feelings and concerns on both sides and your funding will make it possible for us to have educated and factual discussions during the process of bringing this project to fruition. 
Thank you, 
Peter Wells