Connecting Michigan is an especially proactive and broad-based initiative to identify and address the critical issues that are impeding Michigan’s progress on developing a statewide interconnected system of trailways and greenways. These treasured resources, so appealing to a wide array of interests, benefit Michigan communities and provide exceptional opportunities for various recreational pursuits, health and fitness, nonmotorized transportation, environmental enhancement, economic and educational benefits, and tourism. Today’s vision can be tomorrow’s reality.
The experience on 372 trails. Written by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in cooperation with the National Parks Service.
Do bike paths cause crime? While enthusiasts may laugh at the suggestion, others fear dire consequences if undeveloped areas became public trails. Urban greenway supporters may cross swords with adamant opponents in vitriolic public meetings or expensive court cases. One community fought this battle on both fronts far years.
Safety and security are major concerns for visitors to all types of parks, including linear parks and trails within more traditional parks. Concerns about safety and security, especially those voiced by adjacent residents, often form the core of arguments against the acquisition or development of trails. They also may be challenges for continuing trail operation and management.
In 2000, the Pinellas County MPO commissioned Renaissance Planning Group of Orlando to conduct a study of the community impacts associated with the Pinellas Trail, a 34-mile converted railroad in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area of Florida. The MPO was planning extensions of the trail and connections to it from other communities, and had encountered opposition from homeowner groups and others about potentially negative impacts on property values, noise and crime. The study was intended to evaluate economic impacts in terms of residential property values, business investment, and crime statistics, and included a household survey of residents living within 1/4 mile of the trail.
