Surveys conducted throughout the country indicate the
heavy use of trails and the many ways in which people use trails for
both recreation and transportation. Surveys also show a high level of
public support for trails and paths, and a willingness to pay for these
facilities.
The 1990 Iowa Statewide Recreational Trails Plan
found high levels of participation in trail activities - 90 percent
of respondents indicated that they had used local trails for walking
an average of 90 times during 1988. High levels of support were expressed
for continued trail development near home, especially multi-use trails
for bicycling and pedestrian activities. Interest in and support for
trails in Iowa are similar to patterns in other parts of the country.
Trails for All Americans, a report of the National
Trails Agenda Project, estimates that 155 million people walk for pleasure
and 93 million bicycle. Pathways for People,1
a 1991 poll conducted for Rodale Press, interviewed 1,255 people
in randomly selected households throughout the continental United States.
During the year preceding the poll, 46 percent (representing 82 million
adults) had ridden a bicycle and 73 percent (130 million) had walked
outdoors for exercise. Most walking and bicycling takes place on streets
and sidewalks, but the majority of respondents indicated they would
walk or bicycle more if safe paths, walkways and bike lanes were provided.
User counts have been conducted on a number of trails
throughout the country. Many trails have thousands of daily users. Estimates
of daily use levels for extremely popular trails, such as the Burke-Gilman
Trail in Seattle, reach as high as four to five thousand. The East Bay
Bicycle Facility in Rhode Island has as many as 8,000 daily users per
weekend day, which is four times greater than predicted.2
Many successful trails have far more modest use levels, but few fail
to show respectable use that generally increases over time. A study
of the Heartland State Trail in Minnesota found a 16 percent increase
in use levels from 1987 to 1989. Currently, the Heartland Trail sees
more than 47,000 users per year, while the Raccoon River Valley Trail
(RRVT) in Iowa sees more than 48,000 annual users, and the Elroy Sparta
Trail in Wisconsin hosts approximately 60,000 users per year.
A study of three rail-trails for the National Park
Service compares Iowa's Heritage Trail, the St. Mark’s Trail in
Tallahassee, Florida, and the Lafayette/Moraga Trail near San Francisco.
User data, adjacent landowner perceptions, and the economic impacts
of the trails are examined. This study found the following use trends:
- Annual use levels for all trails are in the hundred thousands.
- Bicycling and walking are the major trail uses.
- Male/female ratios are roughly equivalent.
- Incomes and educational levels are above average.
- The number of trail visits per year varies substantially with trail
location in relation to place of residence.
- The most highly ranked trail benefits or values for trail users
include aesthetic beauty and natural resource preservation.
These findings are consistent with the socio-demographic findings
of many trail surveys. The following sections discuss the above findings
in more detail.
Bicycling and Walking
The vast majority of trail use is on foot and on bicycles.
The National Park Service (NPS) study found that the majority use for
the Heritage (65 percent) and St. Mark's (81 percent) Trails is bicycling.
However, walking (63 percent) and jogging (12 percent) are the predominant
uses for the Lafayette/Moraga Trail. This trail is a relatively short
suburban trail that is heavily used by residents who live nearby. The
median distance of the trail from home is 1.5 miles versus 7 and 8 miles
for the other trails 3.
Bicycle use predominates on most of the multi-use trails for which counts
are available.
It is, however, important to note that use counts differ
from results of phone or letter surveys on trail activity participation
rates. State trail use surveys in Colorado, North Carolina and Iowa
find that walking is cited as the most frequent trail activity by most
respondents.
A 1998 survey in North Carolina describes the overall
annual participation rates for various trail activities for the entire
sample (not just trail users). Walking for pleasure is by far the trail
activity participated in most frequently, with an average of 7.62 trips
per person for the previous 12 months. The frequency of bicycling is
found to be an average of 1.78 trips. A further finding is that 23.7
percent of the respondents participated in walking for pleasure versus
7.3 who bicycled.4
Similarly, a Colorado survey found that among respondents to a survey
of 600 registered voters, the most popular trail activities were walking
(mentioned by 40 percent of respondents), hiking (36 percent), and bicycling
(29 percent).5
The 1989 State of Iowa Recreational Trails Usage Study,
which was performed as a part of the 1990 plan, found that the trail activity
most often undertaken by survey respondents is, "walking near home for recreation
and exercise." The next two most often identified activities are "walking
at a …place away from home," and, "bicycling near home." When asked
about the frequency of use, walking near home is the most frequent trail
activity, but bicycling near home and horseback riding near home are more
frequent activities than walking at a location farther away from home.6
A survey of users of the Wabash Trace Nature Trail was
conducted by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in the summer of 1999.7
It looked at use patterns, user satisfaction and the economic impact of the
trail. Nine out of 10 respondents indicated that their primary activity on
the trail was bicycling. Small percentages of users participated in hiking
(6 percent), running or jogging (3 percent) and horseback riding or other
activities (2 percent).
Male/Female Ratio
According to various studies, males tend to ride bicycles
more than females. Because bicycling as an activity dominates many multi-use
trails, males tend to outnumber females on such facilities. When trail activities
are assessed more generally, however, as in state surveys and wilderness
trail surveys, male and female participation rates are roughly even. The
North Carolina State survey found that recent trail users were 53 percent
male and 47 percent female. In Iowa, females slightly outnumber males in
overall trail participation. On the other hand, the more "extreme" sport
of mountain bicycling has an 80 percent/20 percent split in male-to-female
participation.8
Income and Education
Incomes are greater than average, as are education levels, among
trail users. The North Carolina State survey found that "households earning,
$75,000 to $99,999 are most likely to have used trails over the last 12
months." The surveyed sample is also well educated. Thirty-one percent
have a college degree and 88 percent are high school graduates. The 1989
Iowa trails survey also concluded that heavy trail users tend to have
above average incomes. A user study of the Raccoon River Valley Trail
(RRVT), concluded that the "typical trail user … has a college education
and earns over $45,000 a year." Those surveyed on the Wabash Trace Nature
Trail also had higher than average incomes. More than half of the trail
users report annual household incomes above $50,000.
Trail Location and Frequency of Visits
The frequency of trail visits varies greatly by the location
of the trail in relationship to the user's residence. The RRVT study in Iowa
found that trail visits are much more frequent for those living near the
trail, (in Dallas and Guthrie Counties). The Colorado survey on attitudes
toward trails found relatively high frequency of use for all trail types,
but local trails are used most often. One-third of the public reported that
they or a family member use local trails at least 50 times in a typical year
in that survey. The frequency of trail use identified by the Wabash Trace
Nature Trail survey is high. Iowa respondents reported visiting the trail
an average of 37 times per year. Nonresidents said that they visit the trail
an average of 17 times per year. In the 1989 State of Iowa Recreational Trails
Usage Study, Iowans expressed a desire for more trails closer to home. Participants
in the OHV User Survey undertaken as part of Iowa Trails 2000 expressed
a similar desire. (see Appendix D).
Public Investment in Trails
A great deal of support is expressed in several surveys
for the investment of public dollars in trails. Respondents to a Colorado
survey support spending for trails. Sixty percent gave high spending priority
to a wide range of activities, including wildlife habitat preservation; maintaining
existing trails; improving access for persons with disabilities; and developing
youth involvement and educational programs. A survey of local residents in
Naperville, Illinois, revealed support for a tax increase for building and
operating trails, although such an increase was not supported for the development
of other recreational facilities.9
In Iowa, the RRVT study indicated a strong willingness among users to pay
higher user fees, especially for habitat protection and trail expansion.
User Benefits/Values: National and State Surveys
The differences in structure of various surveys can
make comparison of results difficult, especially for value-laden responses.
Two values, however, appear as highly rated qualities of the trail experience
in many of the surveys that have been discussed. These values are aesthetic
beauty and natural area preservation.
The qualities rated most highly by respondents to the
three surveys examined in the NPS study are:
- Health and fitness.
- Aesthetic beauty.
- Preserving open space.
In the Colorado survey, the most important reasons
for using trails include:
- To see beautiful scenery.
- To enjoy nature.
- To have fun with family and friends.
Sixty-nine percent of respondents would support limits
on trail use if natural habitat was being destroyed.
In the 1989 Iowa statewide survey some different elements
of the trail experience contribute most to the trail user's enjoyment:
- The trail traverses a variety of landscapes.
- The presence of water.
- The trail corridor is separate from the roadway.
- Historical markers are present.
More than 90 percent of those surveyed about Iowa's
RRVT associated five positive effects with the trail:
- Availability of recreational opportunities.
- Positive image for Dallas County.
- Increased visitation.
- Community pride.
- Improvements to the local economy.
However, when asked how trail management investment
should be handled, the sample population thought that more money should
be spent on the following items:
- Planting trees.
- Wildlife restoration.
- Protection of wildlife corridors and habitat restoration.
- Reducing soil erosion.
Off-highway vehicle enthusiasts indicate very similar
responses to questions regarding experiences desired on trail facilities.
Important factors include:
- Scenery and wooded areas.
- Proximity to water features.
- Variation in topography and soils.
- Availability of trail connections between riding areas.
The results of these surveys give an indication of
the reasons for increased interest in trail development by communities
and the general public. This interest is primarily due to the benefits
that trails provide.
Trails are seeing immense popularity because of the
many benefits they offer to a community. Aside from pure recreational
opportunity, trails offer the following benefits:
- Health, fitness, and quality of life.
- Transportation.
- Open space and natural area preservation and enhancement.
- Economic development.
- User safety.
Health, Fitness, and Quality of Life
Active recreation, in any form, is a proven health benefit.
Trails allow people the opportunity to recreate in a variety of ways, depending
on their abilities and preferences. A recent study stated that sedentary
lifestyle is the second greatest health threat to Americans. Lack of physical
activity and poor diet are identified in a recent American Medical Association
study as the second leading cause of death (after smoking), in the United
States.10 Americans,
including children, are getting fatter every decade. Surprisingly, the amount
of recreational exercise has stayed constant over the past 25 years. The
change in activity seems to be attributable to a lack of everyday routine
exercise, especially walking and physically active play. Children no longer
walk or bicycle to school, and engage in much more passive recreation. Adults
use motor vehicles for almost every trip and work at sedentary jobs. The
Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that while highly aerobic exercise
offers additional health benefits for those who do it, the most significant
loss in health is a result of the reduction, over the past three decades,
in activities like walking to the store, to work or to school. Small incremental
changes, involving moderate physical activity such as walking and bicycling,
can make the biggest difference between a healthy and a hazardous lifestyle.
Trails are also commonly seen as increasing the quality
of life for nearby residents. Though trails may meet opposition during
implementation based on fears of vandalism and crime, these concerns
are virtually never realized. Neighborhoods with trail connections are
desirable places to live, and cities with high-quality trail networks
are attracting new businesses and residents. The quality of life of
people with access to trails is based both on health and fitness, as
discussed above, and on their ability to step outdoors and appreciate
scenic beauty.
Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation adopted
a new transportation policy in 1990 designed to encourage the recognition
of bicycling and walking as viable transportation modes. As a result
of this new policy, the National Bicycling and Walking Study was completed
in 1994. It contained two significant goals: to double the percentage
of total trips made by bicycling and walking in the United States (to
15.8 percent); and to simultaneously reduce by 10 percent the number
of fatal bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
This commitment to, essentially, the construction and
promotion of trails as transportation routes was in response to some
growing concerns. The increasing number of automobiles on the nation’s
roadways causes congestion, especially in urban areas, where non-motorized
transportation modes are most viable. In addition, an increase in the
number of trips made by pedestrians and bicycles helps to improve air
quality, also primarily in urban areas.
In order to increase non-motorized trips, it is important
to increase safety. In many cases, trails accomplish this goal by allowing
trail users exclusive rights-of-way free from motor vehicles. These
trails, therefore, become viable and safe transportation corridors.
While the federal government has focused on the recognition
of bicycling and walking as important transportation modes, other users
may also reap the transportation benefits of trails. Whatever the use
mode, the primary issue to consider when designing trails for transportation
is connection. If trails connect residential areas, recreational areas,
commercial areas, and work centers, they can offer transportation choices
to users. Trails used for transportation are most effective in urban
areas, where trips are shorter. For this reason, Iowa Trails 2000
includes a handbook for local communities on pedestrian and bicycle
planning. This guide offers assistance in capitalizing on the transportation
benefits of trails.
Open Space and Natural Area Preservation and Enhancement
The idea of trails as "greenways" is an important
concept to many Iowans. In numerous local and national user surveys,
trail users state their commitment to protecting natural resources and
their desire to experience trails with natural and scenic value. A greenway
is a linear corridor that serves primarily an ecological purpose. Oftentimes,
this natural systems approach is coupled with, and solidified by, a
recreational amenity such as a trail. In a true greenway, the trail
element is just one component of an ecological corridor that may connect
existing natural areas within parks, preserves, and other greenways.
The trail, however, is important to the greenway, since
it can provide an impetus for preservation of the corridor. By implementing
a continuous recreational corridor, a community can connect its existing
green spaces and enhance the linear green space between them.
Greenways are considered in the statewide trails vision
of this document (see Chapter 3). By establishing
trails as both recreational and ecological corridors, the amount and
quality of open space and natural areas in Iowa can be increased.
Economic Development
Trail users spend money. Such expenditures may range
from snacks or drinks to bicycle repair or purchase to overnight stays.
Communities that serve as trailheads are poised to take advantage of
this economic inflow. A study for the National Park Service undertaken
in 1992 estimated that trail users spend between $4 and $11 per day,
depending on trail location and spending opportunities. This can equate
to between $1.2 and $1.8 million for one trail for one year. The Wabash
Trace Nature Trail Survey found that the average spending per trail
user party per day was $28.65. (This broke down to $10.57 per person.)
Trail users also indicated that they had spent an average of $819 for
durable equipment (such as bicycles) and trail gear purchased specifically
for use on the Wabash Trace.
Trails can give people a reason to visit a town, and
may spur other benefits -- such as downtown revitalization, an increase
in property values, and attraction of additional businesses -- whether
they serve the trail or not. In order to assist communities in capturing
the economic inflow associated with trails, Iowa Trails 2000 includes
a handbook on trail-based economic development programs.
User Safety
Trails designed for specific recreational or transportation
modes are inherently safer than combining recreation with existing vehicular
routes. Trails offer dedicated travel routes for walkers, bicycylists,
equestrians, OHV enthusiuasts, and snowmobilers that often are separated
from roadways. One of the greatest hazards to trail users is conflicts
with vehicular traffic, and trails can reduce such conflicts, thereby
increasing user safety.
Although Iowa has a high level of participation in trail
activities, the level of satisfaction with trails is low. According to the
1989 State of Iowa Recreational Trails Usage Study, just 31 percent of respondents
indicated that they were "very satisfied" with Iowa's trail resources. Components
of a relatively lower level of satisfaction in Iowa are a perceived need
for more trails close to population centers, and the desire of Iowans to
do more bicycling on trails. In addition, 100 percent of the respondents
to the Iowa OHV User Survey performed as a part of Iowa Trails 2000 (see
Appendix D), supported the creation of OHV trails
in Iowa.
While Iowans might experience a lack of available trails,
they also express a high level of satisfaction with particular trails.
Ninety-eight percent of respondents to the RRVT survey agreed that they
would visit the trail again, and 99 percent agreed that they thoroughly
enjoyed their visit.
Since the first Iowa Statewide Recreational Trails
Plan in 1990, approximately 1,180 miles of trails have been built as
part of the state system, raising the total of that system to 1,580
miles. Additional trails within Department of Natural Resource land
total more than 650 miles, bringing the total trail mileage in Iowa
to more than 2,200 miles. Iowa has historically been a leader in trail
development, but, according to residents, there is more work to be done.
According to national trends and the 1989 Iowa Trails
Usage Study, residents have expressed several specific trail needs:
- Additional high-quality, multi-use trails similar to the Raccoon
River Valley Trail or the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.
- Additional trails "close to home." Trails should connect
communities, parks, nature areas, and other natural and cultural resources.
- Use of trails as a means of increasing public awareness of the values
of natural corridors and the need for protecting, enhancing, and preserving
natural areas.
- Flexibility in trail design to allow for a variety of use modes.
Iowa Trails 2000 charts the course for the next
phase of trail development by recognizing the benefits of trails and
the needs of Iowans.
