Surf vs. Development: A Bike Path That Could Change Puerto Rico Forever
Are some of the island’s marquee waves under threat?
A planned bike path in Rincón, Puerto Rico, has become the center of a heated dispute between surfers and local government.
The controversy escalated this week when seven protesters were arrested after attempting to block construction equipment from entering the site. The demonstration, which began at dawn, was a response to the removal of trees along the proposed path — a move activists argue will cause irreversible environmental damage.
The news hit hard for local surfer Mia Calderón, the 21-year-old biology student and Orange Team captain in Stab Highway East Coast. “They’re basing the entire project on plans from 2004, but the coast has changed since then, so it’s not viable anymore,” she told Stab. “It’s probably going to destroy the entire coastline and its beaches.”
Beaches home to waves like Tres Palmas, Dogman’s, Maria’s, Indicators, and Domes — all at risk.
Mia explained that maritime zone laws are meant to protect the coastline. “Nothing can be built 50 meters from the beach because it’s public domain.” She also pointed out that the bike path would destroy an area where the local community has spent years planting trees to slow coastal erosion.
The Environmental Argument
Local environmental and community groups have filed a formal complaint against the Highway Authority and the Municipality of Rincón, arguing that the 2004 bike path design is outdated and fails to account for coastal erosion. They say the project threatens four environmentally sensitive areas: Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, La Armonía Forest, an archaeological site known as El Yukayeke, and Domes Beach.
Activists demand an updated boundary survey and environmental impact assessment, as well as public hearings and a redesign of the project. Led by local surfers and residents, groups like Friends of Tres Palmas, La Armonía Forest, and Salva Rincón advocate for an alternative route along Highway 413 that would avoid disrupting the maritime-terrestrial zone.
For Mia, this “is a plan that really makes no sense, and what the people are calling for is just a re-evaluation of the bike path.”
The Mayor’s Defense
While activists claim the project is moving forward without proper permits, Mayor Carlos López Bonilla insists everything is above board, citing approvals from both local and federal authorities.
Protesters are demanding greater transparency and stronger environmental protections from local officials. Critics of the project argue that Rincón’s natural resources should be prioritized over infrastructure development and that cutting trees for a bike path contradicts the town’s environmental values.
In response to criticism, Mayor López Bonilla expressed disappointment over the protests but emphasized that the project has been planned for years. According to him, the construction process has already undergone environmental reviews, public hearings, and includes reforestation efforts to offset tree removal.
“No one would risk moving forward with a federally backed project without the required endorsements,” Mayor Bonilla said, assuring residents that the work is being carried out under strict environmental oversight, with biologists, arborists, and an archaeologist monitoring the process.Calling the bike path a “beautiful project” for the town, the mayor dismissed claims that it threatens the environment, instead positioning it as a much-needed improvement for Rincón.
Unlikely Alliances
Despite Bonilla’s reassurances, activists remain unconvinced, calling the project an “environmental crime” and vowing to keep pushing back. With legal challenges and continued protests likely in the coming weeks, the battle over Rincón’s bike path is far from over.
As a silver lining, both locals and “Americans,” as Mia refers to some of the island’s more recent residents, are uniting against the development. “It just shows how a bunch of tourists who have come here have become a big part of the community and earned their spot in it.”
One such figure is a man known simply as Cocoman. “He climbed one of the trees and just stayed there the whole time. He hasn’t come down,” Mia explained. “This is the second day, and the police are threatening to tear the tree down with him on it. He just stays there — and he’s not even from here.”
If the project moves forward, it would be a heavy blow not just for resident and visiting surfers but also for the local economy, given that Puerto Rico’s waves are among its most sought-after resources.
Mia noted, “I feel like everyone who asks me about Puerto Rico already knows about Rincón because that’s where everyone goes.”
In the past, there have been concerted efforts to turn parts of Rincón into a nature reserve — most notably around Tres Palmas, Puerto Rico’s premier big-wave break, named for its three iconic palm trees. Hang in there, Cocoman — it would be a shame to have to rename it No Palmas.
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