William C. O'Neill Bike Path:
Rhode Island
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Description:
Named for the late state senator who spearheaded development of the trail, the William C. O'Neill Bike Path (a.k.a. South County Bike Path) follows the route of the former Narragansett Pier Railroad, which connected the coastal village of South Kingston with the Narragansett Pier. Built in 1876, the railroad carried passengers to the pier, where they caught the ferry to Newport. It also delivered coal and lumber from the bay to inland villages. In 1921 rail buses—actual buses adapted to ride the rails—replaced regular passenger cars on the line. Locals affectionately called these unique buses Mickey-Dinks, after two of the drivers.

Starting from the restored Kingston Station (home to the Rhode Island Railroad Museum; open weekends), this 6.1-mile bike path traverses the Great Swamp Wildlife Management Area. Particularly in the spring and fall, you'll encounter flocks of migratory birds. Just beyond Curtis Corner Middle School, footpaths on both sides of the trail lead to Tri-Ponds Park, which features three ponds, streams, 2 miles of nature trails, resident wildlife and a nature center. Continuing on the bike path, you'll wind through the quaint towns of Peace Dale and Wakefield, both rich in historical landmarks. A new extension crosses Kingstown Road (Rt. 108) at MacArthur Boulevard (follow along MacArthur) then goes under US 1 to end abruptly at Mumford Road in Narragansett.

Plans are underway to extend the trail another mile to the ocean. Until then, if you want to travel to the beach, turn right at the end of the bike path onto Mumford Road then left on Kingstown Road (US 1A) and follow it to the ocean, bearing left on Narragansett Avenue to parking at Beach Street.

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Parking & Trail Access:
Kingston Station is accessible by car, train, and bus.
By car from Providence, take Interstate 95 south to Exit 9 and follow State Route 4 south to US Hwy. 1 south. From US 1, head west about 7 miles on Route 138, which becomes Mooresfield Road, then Kingstown Road. Turn left on Railroad Avenue into the station. The trail begins at the south end of the main parking lot.
The station is an active stop on Amtrak's Northeast line between Boston and Washington, DC. RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority) buses also serve the station.
There is no parking at the Wakefield terminus, but parking is available at Curtis Corner Middle School in Peace Dale. From Kingstown Road, follow Route 108 south into town and turn right on Curtis Corner Road. The school is at 301 Curtis Corner.
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Reviews: [2 trail ratings]
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New tunnel under Route 1
By BettyW in August, 2011
We rode this trail in July and after watching several bikers cross Rt. 108, we followed them and were very surprised to discover a tunnel under Rt. 1.

Here is part of a press release dated 7-27-11 from the RI DOT web site:
"The new 0.8-mile path connects to the existing bike path which RIDOT built in the late 1990s and early 2000s from Kingston Station off Route 138 in West Kingston to Route 108 opposite MacArthur Boulevard in Wakefield. The new segment will bring riders into Narragansett, ending at Mumford Road. The entire path is 7.8 miles long, and stands as the fourth-longest bike path in Rhode Island. "

"The new bike path includes 0.5 miles of off-road bikeway, resurfacing of 0.3 miles of MacArthur Boulevard (which carries the path from Route 108 to the off-road segment), a lighting system at the tunnel passing underneath Route 1 and reconstruction of a parking lot on Main Street at Robinson Street in Wakefield. The path also provides options for those traveling to the Narragansett shoreline by bike, as it bypasses the busy commercial corridors in Wakefield and the Dillon Rotary in Narragansett."
Nice ride
By jennybadgirl84 in May, 2011
We tried this bike path for the 1st time today and enjoyed it immensely. They are working on the last leg of the trail and it should be finished by the summer. The only word of warning I would give is that if you begin from the train station the path is mostly down hill and makes for a difficult time on the way back. We plan to begin from the other end of the path so that the journey back is on the down hill.
Pleasant, well kept bike path
By letsbikenow in October, 2010
We biked on this path yesterday for the first time. The beginning starts at the Amtrack station in South Kingston. Parking is tight on weekends, as many train and bus riders use the parking lot too. The path hardtop is in excellent condition, it is well marked and well kept. Good scenic visuals. I can't wait until they finish the last two miles that will connect this to the oceanfront on the bay. An A+ bike path.
The Amtrac station on the west end of the trail
Trail Facts
Trail End Points: Kingston Station (W. Kingston) to Mumford Road (Narragansett)
Counties: Washington
Trail Length: 6.8 miles
Trail Category: Rail-Trail
Trail Surfaces: Asphalt
Trail Activities: Bike, Inline Skating, Fishing, Wheelchair Accessible, Walking, Cross Country Skiing
TrailLink ID: 6017744

Related Links
Guidebook: Learn more about other New England rail-trails in RTC's New England Guidebook.