Why does Dorchester need a multi-use trail?
Rail-trails provide places for cyclists, hikers, walkers, runners, inline skaters, cross-country skiiers and physically challenged individuals to exercise and experience the many natural and cultural wonders of the nation's urban, suburban and rural environments. Rail-trails not only serve as independent community amenities, they also enhance existing recreational resources by linking neighborhoods and schools to parks, waterfronts, recreational centers and other facilities.
Rail-trails create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with attractive, safe, accessible and low- or no-cost places to cycle, walk, hike, jog or skate. Trails help people of all ages incorporate exercise into their daily routines by connecting them with places they want or need to go; facilitating active, healthy communities.
As tools for conservation or preservation of historic and cultural resources, rail-trails provide a window into our history and culture by connecting people to the past. They often link, provide access to and incorporate historic features such as battlefields, bridges, canals, historic buildings, and rail depots. Trails play a prominent role in the history of America, and rail-trails continue to serve as important threads in our social fabric.
One of the greatest challenges many local governments face is how to revitalize urban environments and attract people back to the cities from the suburbs (or back to the suburbs from the extended suburbs). Trails and greenways are valued for their ability to connect people with places and enhance the beauty of urban centers. Multi-use trails built on abandoned rail corridors are a key component of the greenway systems in many cities, and figure prominently in greenway plans many cities are counting on to revive urban cores and improve quality of life.
Cities and towns across America are finding that converting abandoned rail corridors is an economically wise choice. Rail-trails often bring job growth in construction and maintenance fields, as well as in tourism-related areas like bike shops, restaurants and lodging. A National Park Service study revealed the total economic impact of a trail involves a combination of new trail-related jobs and the expansion of existing businesses related to travel, equipment, clothes, food, souvenirs and maps. Trails can even have a direct impact on a community's ability to attract jobs - many companies seeking to relocate or establish a corporate headquarters have cited the availability of trails as a significant factor in their decision to choose one locale over another.
Rail-trails increase the natural beauty of communities. They also have been shown to bolster property values and make adjacent properties easier to sell. More and more real estate advertisements proclaim the proximity of the property to a rail-trail, demonstrating that agents are recognizing that rail-trails are an asset and key attractor to neighborhoods.
Read more at the Rails to Trails website...
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