Imagine for a moment a highway running north from Florida to Maine, solely for the purpose of non-motorized travel such as cycling.

It's a series of pathways and relatively safe routes through towns and cities, allowing travelers to freely move without concern of high-speed traffic. It's also a reality that is happening now and growing, one mile at a time, one community at a time.

Greenways is the name of the program that has banded together committees up and down the east coast, responsible for creating this route for cyclists or walkers interested in making their way without aid of a motor.

"You can pick a vacation destination on a bicycle," says Dave Copely, chairman of Paths of Pasquotank, a local group dedicated to connecting the region to the greater Greenway route.

Copely is a dedicated cyclist. He says the path is actually both land and water. Currently, The Great Dismal Swamp State Park has paths that are included in the Greenway route and the organization hopes to have more in the near future.

"As Paths of Pasquotank, what we want to do is promote trails in Pasquotank County," explains Copely. "We want to provide connectivity to trails in our area and surrounding counties. So we're working with Perquimans County to our south and to our north to create a network of trail systems."

The goal, he says, is to ultimately connect into the Greenway trail system. According to the Greenway map, available on www.greenway.org, the Greenway trail route passes through central North Carolina, but does provided what is identified as an alternative route through the northeast portion of the state.

That route is not, Copely says, entirely connected, but his and other groups are working toward that end.

"The importance is to be able to get on your bicycle and ride up and down the east coast," says Copely.

The problem locally, Copely explains, is obtaining right-of-ways in order to create trails. Some states have had success in creating trails on old abandoned railways, however Copely says that doesn't currently look likely for this region, but there is some hope for new trails as the area expands.

"Established roads can be difficult, but new construction can be done," he says.

In fact, about a two-mile stretch along Halstead Extended in Elizabeth City has been designated a bike trail. The trail is being constructed with grant money and will be located along the north side of the road.

Copely says there are also plans by North Carolina Department of Transportation to include a bike lane along N.C. Highway 158 in Camden when the expansion of that roadway begins.

Paths of Pasquotank is also identifying several routes in Elizabeth City that might be deemed safe for travel and inclusion on the Greenway trail system. Elizabeth City, however, poses a number of problems for cyclists.

With narrow, older roads, it's difficult to find proper and safe places to ride. Copely understands this since he commutes to and from work at the Coast Guard base on his bike.

Many roads in and around Elizabeth City are just not wide enough to ever include bike lanes. Cyclists and motorists will have to work together as more and more people choose to cycle rather than drive.

For more information about the Greenway trail system, go to www.greenway.org.