Newly elected Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer is a familiar figure on New Castle County’s bike trails, so it was no surprise that he included a bike tour of Main Street in Newark in his inaugural events. Here, he chats about his pastime and his hopes for the state’s cycling infrastructure.
*This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
What sparked your interest in cycling?
I was an elementary school student at the old Shipley School on Shipley Road, [where] I rode my bike on beautiful days and rainy days. There’s nothing that gives me a warm feeling in my heart more than thinking of my time as a kid in north Wilmington—just riding my bike with friends to the 7-Eleven and around the neighborhood and down to the creek.
What about as an adult?
I like to say that cycling is a win-win-win-win. It’s healthy. It’s environmentally sustainable. It reduces traffic congestion. And it’s really good on the [wallet] when gas is $3 a gallon. The cost of a vehicle is not cheap. If you can spend half your time riding your bike, you’re going to save an awful lot of money. For me, there’s also a mental and emotional health aspect to it. Riding really helps clear my head. It’s also a [better] way to see the community. …You can very easily stop and say hi to people.
What are your goals for improving Delaware’s roads for cyclists?
Many [pedestrian and cycling deaths occur] on our commercial corridors, so we’ve got to look very closely at those. If someone is going 45 miles per hour through signaled intersections where there are quite a few pedestrians and bikers, invariably something negative is going to happen. So we’re [looking] at what infrastructure can we invest in [so] pedestrians and cyclists are safe. … In terms of [best places for] cycling, we are regularly rated among the top in the country. Ten years ago, it wasn’t like that. It took tremendous commitment [from former governors]. We’re looking to hypercharge that—for instance, how do you get from Wilmington to the C&D Canal and back again in a loop that is completely safe? How do we connect towns in Sussex and Kent counties so [that] if you’re physically fit and want to bike commute, you can do so [without] putting your life at risk? But also, how do we connect open spaces for outdoorsy people who might want to ride from one large park system to another?
What are your favorite local trails?
I’m still kind of a sucker for the Northern Delaware Greenway [Trail]. Some of my favorite days as a county executive were [spent] making stops along the Greenway. I love that you can go from the city of Wilmington, our state’s largest city, across a beautiful river, through Alapocas Run State Park, and within minutes be at Rockwood [Park & Museum] and then Bellevue State Park. [But it’s hard to pick] one favorite. I’ve been riding some of the trails around Sussex [County], which are breathtaking.
Do you enjoy other methods of exploring the outdoors?
I’m a backpacker. I haven’t done it in a few years—it’s been a busy time—but I’ve gone out for weeks at a time, mostly in Glacier National Park and the Grand Canyon. I [trekked] the John Muir Trail once, for nearly three weeks, with a backpack and a couple friends. …I think there are few things as good for our community [as hiking], not just in terms of public health, but also just in terms of mental and emotional health.
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