[IndianaTrails] indy star - Russ Pulliam opinion

[Jeff Ray]

April 30, 2006
 

Russ Pulliam
Governor jumps on bandwagon for trails

Maybe we should call it Minor Moves because it's relatively cheap in cost. But it's still a major development that Gov. Mitch Daniels wants a statewide trail system.
The same governor with the ambitious road construction plan announced a trail initiative last week. The difference is that the cost of biking and hiking trails is minor compared to the state's roads, financed through the controversial lease of the Toll Road.
Sometimes called greenways, these linear parks cost about $300,000 a mile to construct, although the purchase of land can increase the price in urban areas. But roads cost much, much more. And they add to air pollution and subtract from physical fitness.
What the governor wants is a statewide master plan to connect the trails, which have become popular in many communities.
Bike advocates were pleased with the governor's announcement in Plainfield, next to the town's Vandalia Trail. "You've got some cities where the trails are very strong and the commitment is high," said Kevin Heber of the Indiana Trails Fund Inc. "But in the rural areas, that's where the gaps are. In other states, the state has come in and helped close the gaps."
Calling for a May 31 bike trail summit to work on a master plan, Daniels recalled his discovery of the trails when he was campaigning in his RV in 2004.
"Almost everywhere you go, you find a beautiful little asset, like this trail here," Daniels said.
A statewide trail system, linking one city to another, will help Hoosiers get in better shape and shed weight. Yet the trails also boost economic development.
"There has never been a time when quality of life has been more important," Daniels said. With the Internet, many businesses can locate where they please. Investors are looking for everything from good schools to bike trails to attract skilled employees.
Indiana doesn't have oceans or mountains. Any state can build trails. Yet Indiana has lagged well behind Michigan and Ohio in statewide planning.
The Monon Trail on Indianapolis' Northside and in Carmel has shown that trails are not aimed at a few tree-hugging environmentalists. Access to the Monon has become a major marketing tool for businesses. "All along the Monon property values have risen dramatically," says Carmel City Council member Ron Carter. "People want to live on the Monon."
Daniels' push for statewide planning fits with his free-market emphasis on the private sector. Government inevitably owns and runs the trails. But the original push usually comes from small private organizations that raise money with bicycle tours and memberships. The B&O Bicycle Tour, scheduled for June 3, is in its 14th year. It's part of a vision for a bike trail stretching from Speedway to nearly Illinois. In Fort Wayne, Mayor Graham Richard has an annual bike trail summit and now has a master plan for trails. The original idea for trails there, however, came from a few citizens, not from city hall.
A statewide bike trail system could have a major impact on Indiana, competing with the state parks to offer exercise options and recreation and boosting economic development.


Pulliam is associate editor of The Star. Contact him at (317) 444-6001 or at russell.pulliam at indystar.com.


Copyright 2006 IndyStar.com. All rights reserved
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