Bethany Beach asking for input on new path proposal

Bethany Beach citizens will get the chance on March 13 to offer their input on a proposed pedestrian pathway that is aimed at adding even more active lifestyle options for those living in and visiting the town, and it’s not the Assawoman Canal Pathway project that has already netted considerable input from town residents and property owners.

The Town of Bethany Beach is considering installing a footpath from the sidewalk at the north end of the grassy median on Maryland Avenue Extended to the 300 block of Hollywood Street. The crushed aggregate footpath would be about 8 feet wide and would take a meandering path from Garfield Parkway Extended to Hollywood Street.

Town officials said the plan for the path calls for ornamental plantings along the pathway and benches near the north end of the path. It would also feature an area containing about a dozen pieces of stationary exercise equipment designed for adult use, similar to facilities offered at John West Park in Ocean View, where the equipment offers opportunities for crunches, stretching and balance exercises.

“The Route 26 corridor in this area hosts some of the heaviest pedestrian traffic in Bethany Beach, as many residents walk to and from our beaches and boardwalk,” Town Manager Cliff Graviet noted. “It is thought that this small adult fitness path would be an excellent addition to the fit lifestyles of so many of our residents and an enhancement to the quality of life in Bethany Beach.”

At 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 13, the town council a special meeting to review design concepts for the path and to listen to citizen comment. Graviet had recently noted that the Town planned to reach out to nearby residents, in particular, to get their input on the path proposal.

Concept drawings of the path can be found on the Town’s Web site www.townofbethanybeach.com, under “News and Events.”