Nov. 11, 2005 — "The government is doing a great job." Robert Hoffman told a gathering of business people at the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Thursday at Giovanni's Piacere on Strand Street in Christiansted.
He was speaking about the effort to get a 14.5 mile bikeway built along the South shore on the east end of the island. He said after working at the Avis and saying other things about the government he never thought he would say those words, but the government has been very cooperative on the project, which organizers hope will go out to bid next spring.
Robert White, president of Cruzan Bikeways, said it will be the only path of its type in the Caribbean and will attract the tourists St. Croix needs. He said it will have two paths for bikers and one for joggers. It will range from eight to 12 feet wide and be separated from the road by a five-foot strip. The $4 million in construction costs is to be financed by the Federal Highway Administration and the path is to be maintained by Cruzan Bikeways.
Two years ago this month organizers started work on the getting the project done. (See "St. Croix May Get Major Bike Path"). The south shore section is just Phase I of a path that organizers hope will encircle the whole island.
The event was well attended with standing room only in the Italian restaurant that just opened this summer.
Attendees also received an update on the new Island Lynx Ferry from local representatives of the firm – Chris Elliott and Kevin Rames. Rames said the bad news was that the new ferry was still in Egypt getting some final work, such as painting done. However, he said the ferry should leave there at the end of the month and should take about two weeks to get to the Virgin Islands.
He said, along with regular service between St. Croix and St. Thomas, the ferry, which will carry cars as well as passengers, would offer service to Tortola and Vieques.
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