I always liked how the Ways were so mysterious - there were suggestions that the Ways became tainted by Saidin, and there were suggestions that the Ways were actually alive, or that maybe the Ways were simply infested by something from the dimension (or wherever the Ways exists) they were built in. They were one the few things I liked when I read Eye of the World for the first time - despite its similar feel to when the Fellowship of the Ring goes through the mines of Moria. Fewer orcs though.

My best bet would be simply to destroy them. They were a safety hazard anyway. Any civil engineer worth his salt would have put in guard rails at least. I mean, wouldn't it suck if you fell off?