[IndianaTrails] Users surveys: on-road vs. off-road

Mon Oct 23 15:16:53 PDT 2006

I don't want to knock the value of sidepaths and sidewalks:  we need those
too!  The  Indy Cultural Trail, in essence an urban streetscape project, is
going to be an extraordinary amenity.  The I-69 sidepath will be a brilliant
step forward in transportation design for our state, as well as the longest
paved trail in the nation (and possibly the world) if built today.

My argument is simply that diverting a rail-trail off its historical
alignment will have negative consequences to the potential success of that
trail.  It would be useful to know much more about that equation.

Kevin H.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mercedes Brugh [mailto:mercedes.brugh at verizon.net] 
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 3:08 PM
To: Kevin Heber; list at indianatrails.org
Subject: Re: [IndianaTrails] Users surveys: on-road vs. off-road

You are so right.  I am suspicious that money for trails will be diverted to

glorified sidewalks along new roads and highways in an effort to rack up the

miles as cheaply as possible.  I'll bet that these trails along new highways

will not be separated from highway noise, sight, and danger; will be seen 
correctly as a waste of money; and will set back the cause of trails in our 
state.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin Heber" <kevin at indianatrails.org>
To: <list at indianatrails.org>
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 10:31 AM
Subject: [IndianaTrails] Users surveys: on-road vs. off-road

> Speaking of surveys, I believe many groups in Indiana are in dire need 
> of data which proves that trail users prefer off-road (i.e., away from
> road) trails over on-road trails, or trails parallel to roads. 
> Further, we need data which shows how this aspect affects how far 
> visitors will travel to visit a trail, how much they will spend per 
> visit, and how much on-road mileage is acceptable to them.
>
> Although the results might seem obvious, there are an alarming number 
> of rail-trail projects in Indiana that are being diverted off former 
> rail alignments and onto nearby roadway alignments.  This is due to 
> the complexities of land acquisition and the temptation to save cost 
> and headache by taking the more convenient, easy route, e.g., where 
> there are nearby roadway upgrades in progress.
>
> Having visited a number of long, off-road trails out east and up 
> north, I observe that it is not uncommon for trails to divert around a 
> trouble spot for a few tenths of a mile here or there.  But my hunch 
> is that there is a rule for miles-diverted/total-miles that we should 
> all be striving towards, or else risk lost visitor potential.
>
> What would the Monon be today if it were merely a glorified sidewalk 
> along College Avenue?
>
> Kevin Heber
> kevin at indianatrails.org
> 317-410-0755
>
>
>> http://www.courierpress.com/news/2006/oct/23/students-survey-greenway
>> -popularity/
>>
>> Students survey Greenway popularity
>>
>> By MARK WILSON
>> Courier & Press staff writer 464-7417 or wilsonm at courierpress.com 
>> Monday, October 23, 2006
>>
>> Even in last week's cold and rain, people were out walking and biking 
>> on the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage trail.
>>
>> Just ask the students from the University of Southern Indiana who 
>> counted and surveyed them for a study the Greenway committee is 
>> hoping will help secure future grants and bolster state and local 
>> government support for the project.
>>
>> "I went to check on the students one of the days, and I actually saw 
>> a lot of people on the riverfront. It was pouring rain and bitter 
>> cold, so that was encouraging. I think if we bring user data to them, 
>> they will see how important the Greenway has become. I think we can 
>> bring that to the City Council and County Council and make an 
>> impression," said Shirley James, Greenway Committee chairwoman.
>>
>> Pairs of students traded shifts along the already finished sections 
>> of the trail, including Garvin Park and the Evansville riverfront. 
>> The project eventually will include a 42-mile trail around the city 
>> that connects to various parks through a series of subsidiary trails.
>>
>> "I was out there on a couple of bad (weather) days. There were people 
>> still out there. Always at lunchtime, there were a bunch of people 
>> from the offices using the riverfront trail," said Matthew Pryzmus, a 
>> political science major.
>>
>> "Everybody I spoke to seemed like they enjoyed it and wanted to 
>> expand
>> it."
>>
>> While not all of the participating students knew a lot about the 
>> Greenway going into the project, Pryzmus said he didn't need to be 
>> convinced of the trail's worth.
>>
>> "I used to live Downtown, so I used to use it. Not a lot of people 
>> have something like what they are trying to achieve with this," he 
>> said.
>>
>> Fellow political science student Beth Winkleman said she counted 193 
>> people on the riverfront section of the Greenway between 11 a.m. and 
>> 3 p.m. on a Saturday.
>>
>> "What really got me the most was how often the people who live here 
>> go down there and use it," she said.
>>
>> Winkleman also said she encountered people visiting from other towns 
>> who were pleasantly surprised that Evansville had the Greenway trail 
>> and that until she did the survey, she was unaware that other 
>> communities such as Indianapolis have similar trails.
>>
>> "I have to thank them for a very excellent job. The sad part of it 
>> was the weather was so bad. We picked the first part of October 
>> because usually it is so pretty," James said.
>>
>> The students asked trail users such questions as where they came from 
>> immediately before using the trail; how long they use it and how 
>> frequently; how they got to it; whether they had used it before; and 
>> if they were satisfied with it.
>>
>> They also documented the users' race, income, education, employment 
>> status and sex.
>>
>> The information will be analyzed for a report by Uiloon Kwon, a 
>> professor of research methods in public administration, and his 
>> graduate students.
>>
>> The report will be ready to present to the Evansville Parks Board in 
>> November.
>>
>> ###
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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