The William C. O'Neill Bike Path: From Kingstown to Narragansett, Rhode Island

Formerly Called the South County Bike Path

The South County Bike Path, now renamed the William C. O'Neill Bike Path, after the Rhode Island State Senator who originally helped to purchase the path, connects the towns of Kingstown, South Kingstown, Wakefield and Narragansett in southern RI. There are access points to bus, train and ferry connections, which make the bike path easy to reach.

Actually, according to a brief history written by Bob Votava, chairman of The Friends of the William C. O'Neill Bike Path, when the path was first opened to the public to be used as a bike path, it was called the Kingstown-Narragansett Bike Path, then the South County Bike Path, and now it is the William C. O'Neill Bike Path. Once a part of the Narragansett Pier Railroad, which ceased running in 1968, town planners suggested that this existing path be utilized as a public school rail train to bring students to and from local public schools, since studies showed that every child was within walking distance from the railroad.

When this novel idea was presented to the Town of South Kingstown's school superintendent, it was rejected as too visionary and futuristic, but it was 1968 - nowadays, it might be a lot more likely to be embraced as a way to prevent congestion on local roads. Then, in 1981, the old railroad was purchased by Town Councilman Anthony Guariello. With State Senator William O'Neill, they advocated its use as a public bike path, and for State funding. At the time, several other bike paths throughout the state of Rhode Island were competing for limited resources, and it was 1995 before the South County Bike Path was able to convince the State Department of Transportation that South Kingstown deserved to be next on the list of construction monies. Once their dream became a reality, the Friends of The South County Bike Path was created.