by Roger Normand

As noted in the FLT January 2017 newsletter, Sarasota County is testing two types of material as borders along the trail near the Culverhouse Nature Park at the north end of the Legacy Trail.  One option is a white colored product known as bank run shell, which consists of dirt, sand and screened shell rock; the other is a darker predominantly recycled tire product.  Both are shown in the picture below.  Applying this compacted buffer zone along the trail border serves two purposes: (1) it braces the edges of the asphalt from fracturing due to erosion and the weight of services vehicles; (2) it levels the shoulder with the trail surface, avoiding a common cycling hazard of inadvertently riding off the edge of the trail and trying to steer you bike back back up over the lip of the trail – a maneuver that often results in damage to your bike and your body.

So which surface do you prefer?

Thank you Sarasota County for continuing to maintain the quality of the Legacy Trail.