What's the status of bicycles on the Pleasure Bay loop?

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Rod Holland

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Aug 15, 2019, 9:58:03 AM8/15/19
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I recently rode to Castle Island, and noted a No Bikes sign on some of the paths there (along with a No Pooping Dogs sign, an interesting equivalence class). 


I didn't see any such signs on the section of the Boston Harbor Walk that I rode on the approach to Castle Island itself. So my question is: is the full Pleasure Island loop rideable these days, with the exception of Castle Island? Also, what's the enforcement status of all this? It was a too nice a day to test that when I was there.  ;-)

rod

Rod Holland

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Aug 15, 2019, 5:01:35 PM8/15/19
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Arrgh! I meant Pleasure Bay, not Island.

John Allen

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Aug 16, 2019, 12:04:07 AM8/16/19
to Rod Holland, Boston Area Cycling
You need first to find out who is in charge at
Castle Island. Probably the DCR. Then look up the
regulations and controlling law. DCR regs are in
Code of Massachusetts Regulations 350.

At 09:58 AM 8/15/2019, Rod Holland wrote:
>I recently rode to Castle Island, and noted a No
>Bikes sign on some of the paths there (along
>with a No Pooping Dogs sign, an interesting equivalence class).Â

John S. Allen

Technical Writer/Editor, http://sheldonbrown.com

CyclingSavvy Instructor
League Cycling Instructor #77-C
Member, Board of Directors, Charles River Wheelers

jsallen *at* bikexprt.com
http://bikexprt.com
http://john-s-allen.com/blog
http://streetsmarts.bostonbiker.org


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Rod Holland

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Aug 16, 2019, 12:51:15 AM8/16/19
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Thanks, John. I think it is DCR for Castle Island. The rest of the Pleasure Bay loop is marked Boston Harbor Walk on current maps, so there may be a different controlling authority and rule set for that.

rod

Jessica Mink

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Aug 16, 2019, 5:06:59 PM8/16/19
to Rod Holland, Boston Area Cycling
All of the Pleasure Bay loop is DCR land, and it seems that bikes are banned on pretty much all of the paths in the reservation. Here's the relevant regulation:

302 Mass. Reg. Section 12.12 - Rules of Conduct on DCR Properties - Non-motorized Vehicles; Trails
(1) All non-motorized trail uses shall be permitted on any forest trail, forest way, trail or rail trail unless posted closed with appropriate signage, or prohibited by regulation or law...

[Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1272, eff. 10/24/2014.]

https://casetext.com/regulation/code-of-massachusetts-regulations/department-302-cmr-department-of-conservation-and-recreation/title-302-cmr-1200-parks-and-recreation/section-1212-rules-of-conduct-on-dcr-properties-non-motorized-vehicles-trails

-Jessica


On Fri, Aug 16, 2019 at 12:51 AM Rod Holland <rholla...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks, John. I think it is DCR for Castle Island. The rest of the Pleasure Bay loop is marked Boston Harbor Walk on current maps, so there may be a different controlling authority and rule set for that.

rod

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Rod Holland

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Aug 16, 2019, 10:59:47 PM8/16/19
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Thanks, Jessica. Seems to me that this suggests that bikes are allowed on DCR trails and roads except when posted otherwise. Castle Island itself has such signs, but I didn't see any on the section of the Pleasure Bay loop that I did ride, nothing until I got to Castle Island. Perhaps a walk around the loop is in order, noting the presence or absence of signs.

rod


On Friday, August 16, 2019 at 5:06:59 PM UTC-4, Jessica Mink wrote:
All of the Pleasure Bay loop is DCR land, and it seems that bikes are banned on pretty much all of the paths in the reservation. Here's the relevant regulation:

302 Mass. Reg. Section 12.12 - Rules of Conduct on DCR Properties - Non-motorized Vehicles; Trails
(1) All non-motorized trail uses shall be permitted on any forest trail, forest way, trail or rail trail unless posted closed with appropriate signage, or prohibited by regulation or law...

[Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1272, eff. 10/24/2014.]

https://casetext.com/regulation/code-of-massachusetts-regulations/department-302-cmr-department-of-conservation-and-recreation/title-302-cmr-1200-parks-and-recreation/section-1212-rules-of-conduct-on-dcr-properties-non-motorized-vehicles-trails

-Jessica


On Fri, Aug 16, 2019 at 12:51 AM Rod Holland <rholla...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks, John. I think it is DCR for Castle Island. The rest of the Pleasure Bay loop is marked Boston Harbor Walk on current maps, so there may be a different controlling authority and rule set for that.

rod

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John Allen

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Aug 17, 2019, 6:58:45 PM8/17/19
to Rod Holland, Boston Area Cycling
At 10:59 PM 8/16/2019, Rod Holland wrote:

>Thanks, Jessica. Seems to me that this suggests that bikes are
>allowed on DCR trails and roads except when posted otherwise. Castle
>Island itself has such signs, but I didn't see any on the section of
>the Pleasure Bay loop that I did ride, nothing until I got to Castle
>Island. Perhaps a walk around the loop is in order, noting the
>presence or absence of signs.

Some places appear to prohibit use during hours of darkness, for
example the Esplanade -- see the 6th photo down on this page;
http://bikexprt.com/massfacil/boston/esplanade.htm, but I have also
heard that this applies only to park use, not to use of trails.
Jessica may know more about that than I do. The photo is rather old
-- maybe things have changed.

Charlie Denison

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Aug 18, 2019, 11:02:27 AM8/18/19
to Boston Area Cycling
If my memory serves me correctly, bikes are allowed in the Pleasure Bay Loop. They are not allowed on the paths within Castle Island.
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Rod Holland

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Aug 28, 2019, 9:05:19 PM8/28/19
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That does seem to be the case. I walked Castle Island and the Pleasure Bay Loop on Tuesday, and while Castle Island was posted No Bikes, the Pleasure Bay Loop was not, and people were riding and skating on the Loop path. This is reassuring.


rod

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