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Resources and Library:

Impacts of Trails & Trail Use

Studies of the impacts of trails and greenways, surveys of outdoor recreation activities, and research on adjacent landowner concerns and property values. Also see economic studies, benefits, and tourism.

Public Choices and Property Values: Evidence from Greenways in Indianapolis (pdf 410 kb)
Urban Trails Heavily Used in Indiana, by Greg Lindsey
Four studies on Trail Effects on Neighborhoods: Home Value, Safety, Quality of Life
Home Sales near Two Massachusetts Rail Trails by Craig Della Penna
Perceptions of How the Presence of Greenway Trails Affects the Value of Proximate Properties
Greenway Proximity Study: A Look at Four Neighborhoods in Surrey, BC (pdf 1.6 mb)
Omaha Recreational Trails: Their Effect on Property Values and Public Safety
Nebraska Rural Trails: Three Studies of Trail Impact
Impact of the Little Miami Scenic Trail on Single Family Residential Property Values
Study evaluates impacts to adjacent land uses and residents along White Pine rail trail, Michigan
Rail-Trails and Safe communities: The Experience on 372 Trails (pdf 593 kb), 1998
Evaluation of the Burke-Gilman Trail's effect on property values and crime (pdf 504 kb) 1987
Two Studies Find Trails Make Good Neighbors
Property Values and Landowner Concerns on the B&O rail trail in Indiana
The Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail & its Impact on Adjoining Residential Properties, 1997

Indiana Trails Study: survey conclusions and recommendations related to trail neighbors
Study of Nearby Businesses and Adjacent Residential Landowners to the Isabella County Extension of the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail
Brief descriptions of trails adjacent to golf courses: examples from several sources nationwide
Houses hawked on bikeway: Homeowners take advantage of high volume of passersby
Study of two successful Canadian rural trails, one on an active irrigation canal alignment and the other converted from an abandoned rail line (pdf 123 kb)
Nordic Ski Trail Easements and Property Values
Public access wins in court: more protection for landowners
Town Agrees To Remove Bike Trail Fence
Rail-Trails and Liability: A Primer on Trail-Related Risk Management Techniques (pdf 680kb)
Bibliography of economic impact studies related to trails and greenways

Six Myths of Community Trails: The Case of Bonneville Shoreline Trail
Bike Path Phobia: Selling Skeptics On Urban Greenway Bike Path Safety
Crime, Property Values, Trail Opposition & Liability Issues by Tim Eling (pdf 1.5 mb)
Overcoming opposition to bicycling, walking, and trail development (pdf 1.5 mb)
Life adjacent to a rail trail: a bed and breakfast inn next to a trail by Craig Della Penna
Changing trends in backcountry trail use
Forest Recreation's Growing Impact

National: The Next Generation of Outdoor Participants - 2007
National: Outdoor Industry Foundation study of 7 years of outdoor recreation participation (1998-2004)
Measuring and Monitoring Trail Use: A Nationwide Survey of State and Federal Trail Managers
AZ: Arizona Trails 2000 survey of motorized and nonmotorized trail users (pdf 330 kb)
CA: San Jose trail counts show annual increases in trail use
ID: Ridge to Rivers Trail System Users Survey, 2000 (pdf .7 mb)
MI: Study finds 178,000 annual visitors to Pere Marquette Trail
MI: Truly multi use on the Lansing River Trail
MN: Effects of trails on cycling, Twin Cities 2000
MN: Summary of Summer Trail Use and User Surveys on nine Minnesota rail trails
MO: Missouri Equestrian Survey:Understanding HorseRiders' Trail Use (pdf of PowerPoint 1.1 mb)
NC: North Carolina comprehensive trail and greenway survey
NC: Mountain Biking at Tsali: An Assessment of Users and Management Alternatives
New England: Use of existing multi-use trails
Nova Scotia: A Survey of Nova Scotia Hiking Trail Users, Canada
NY: Canalway Trail User Count and methodology (pdf 1.1 mb)
Ontario: Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail User Survey: economic and recreational benefits
PA: User Survey for the Pennsylvania Allegheny Trail
PA: Survey of Pine Creek Rail Trail users
SC: South Carolina Trail Survey, 2003 (pdf 656 kb)
TX: Austin, Texas survey of the Town Lake Trail
VA: Huckleberry Trail System Users Survey: Demographics, 2000
VA: Assessment of User Demographics, Preferences, and Economics of three trails:
1. The Virginia Creeper Trail
2. The Washington & Old Dominion Trail
3. The Waterway at New River State Park

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Resources and Library:

Impacts of Trails & Trail Use