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By SEAN HARKINS

News Staff Writer

While Michigan may be famous for automobiles, northern Michigan is fast becoming a place where they aren't needed to commute.

Whether it's the City of Alpena's bi-path, Rogers City's Huron Sunrise Trail, or various rail-trails in the area , residents and visitors have options when it comes to biking for recreation, exercise, or travel.

The City of Alpena's bi-path allows residents to travel the city without a motor. The 16.45 miles of the path wind around the city, often hugging areas of the Thunder Bay River.

The first section of the path was constructed by volunteers behind Alpena Regional Medical Center in 1976 as part of bicentennial celebrations in the city.

In the mid-1990s the city received grants to expand the path, City Engineer Rich Sullenger said.

Sullenger admitted to being a skeptic at the time of the expansion, but now says the path is one of the most worthwhile things the city does.

"It's really become a fantastic thing." Sullenger said. "When we first started building them I wasn't sure how much use they were going to get."

Mayor Carol Shafto said she puts 500 miles on her bicycle per summer, 90 percent of which is on the bi-path.

"What I find amazing about the path is not only the volume of users but the variety of users," Shafto said.

People young and old use the path on bikes, rollerblades, wheelchairs, or simply on foot, she said.

The main differences between the bi-path and typical sidewalks are width and location. Sidewalks are usually five feet wide, while most of the bi-path is 8-10 feet wide, Sullenger said.

Unlike a sidewalk, the bi-path does not exclusively lie in front of homes and businesses - it traverses sometimes scenic and even isolated areas.

"The scenery is magnificent, you can see things along the path that you can't see from any other perspective," Shafto said.

The asphalt Huron Sunrise Trail also doesn't lack scenery. The trail stretches along the Lake Huron coast from Harbor View to Hoeft State Park. Organizers the trail recenlty was extended to Forty Mile Point.

Further expansion of the trail to the southeast also is being worked on. The trail could eventually make its way through the Michigan Limestone Operations quarry and connect to the Alpena to Mackinac trail.

"Trails are definitely in. They're great for the economy, they're great for the community they're great for exercise and health benefits," Rogers City Manager Mark Slown said.

For those looking for a lengthy ride, they will soon have a challenge.

By 2011 there will be a hard surface trail from Alpena to Cheboygan with stops in Posen, Hawks, Millersburg, Onaway and Aloha State Park.

The 70 mile trail exists as 50-foot wide rail grade, but Northern Lower Peninsula Trailways Coordinator Emily Meyerson said the trail is inconsistent throughout. She said the current trail would be very difficult to traverse for a biker.

She said the crushed limestone that will be placed on the trail will give it a hard surface almost like concrete.

The trail will connect to the 62 mile Gaylord to Mackinac City trail, which has a crushed limestone surface.

"Trails are a great resource. I really believe people will use them for recreation but also for transportation," Meyerson said.