"An Englishman's home is his castle"

[MossRoad]

Isnt it?
And thats what created the fear that our trails would end up that way.
I‘m a runner and exerciser and I want more outlets for outdoor exercise, but I value privacy and increased property values, too. Put the trials somewhere where peoples RE values dont diminish from lack of privacy and the invitation for nefarious behavior.

Some loser could walk down the trail at night, grab your garden hose, turn it on and flood your basement!

I've been on trails on the north side of Indy (the old Monon line) that are vibrant. Lots of little shops, parks, scenic rest stops. Very few problems.

There's a trail a couple towns to our east that we've been trying to walk the entirety of. It starts in town, but heads out through rural areas. No problems there, either.

Been on one down in Logansport, IN. Very nice.

We just found one SW of us that looks pretty long. Would be hard to walk. We may get bikes.

There's a trail they're trying to complete that goes from Chicago to New Buffalo, MI. Been on parts of that one.

No reports of property damage to neighboring properties that I'm aware of.

No further comments...

 

[Fixastuff]

Somehow I have a feeling many rails to trails supporters would be less supportive if it was running behind the back windows of their homes….

Heres a little sample of the other side of what you might see. Need more let me know. Theres dozens of stories like it.

https://www.wdtv.com/content/news/New-task-force-to-tackle-rail-trails-513101001.html

https://www.wdtv.com/content/news/President-of-Rail-Trails-Trash-breaks-my-heart-471819024.html

And some houses become crack houses, that doesn't mean we shouldn't build any new houses.

 

[tallyho8]

A rail to trail was considered in an area not too far from us but they needed financial assistance to make it become a reality. It ran for many miles through a pretty swampy area but of course the track bed was built several feet higher than the swamps. As there are not that many places to ride horses in our area we were happy to help create a new venue for us to ride on. Our horse association was asked to help support it so we arranged to have a couple of trail rides on horses to make money to benefit the project.

Then other groups pitched in and helped raise the necessary funds to complete the project that turned out to be a great trail through a beautiful area open to hiking, horses and bicycles. Imagine our displeasure when one day they announced that horses would no longer be able to ride on the trail but could ride through the swamps alongside the trail. Louisiana swamp mud is renowned for being able to pull shoes off of horses and to cause leg sprains as they trudge through the thick mud.

Today it is a beautiful 31 mile long trail for bikes and hiking but I will always remember it as just another way that equestrians got shafted.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I like rails to trails paths. Great for bike riding.

 

[Jstpssng]

The trails they have here are more for ATVs in summer and snowsleds and winter... hence my comment about how they are access points to land which people don't want those activities. My cousin told of stopping in a blueberry field every year and picking blueberries... no matter that they weren't paying for them.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m all for them IF they are planned properly, having the funds in place to maintain them, and patrol them (bike cops). That costs a lot of taxpayer money, especially with crumbling infrastructure that really needs to be used everyday, roads, bridges, airports, etc.

It should be situational. If there’s an abandoned rail through an area with few homes, it’s a good spot. If it goes through neighborhoods, maybe not a good choice.

 

[Hay Dude]

I like rails to trails paths. Great for bike riding.

In your area of Western MD, I agree. With the C&O canal and the old railway along 70, that rail to to trail that is ideal.
Our rails to trails proposal ran directly behind peoples homes. Very common to have a railroad in your back yard in my town.

Maybe if they offer maintenance, security patrol and tall privacy fencing where there’s a house, it would work here.

 

[NorTracNY]

A rail to trail was considered in an area not too far from us but they needed financial assistance to make it become a reality. It ran for many miles through a pretty swampy area but of course the track bed was built several feet higher than the swamps. As there are not that many places to ride horses in our area we were happy to help create a new venue for us to ride on. Our horse association was asked to help support it so we arranged to have a couple of trail rides on horses to make money to benefit the project.

Then other groups pitched in and helped raise the necessary funds to complete the project that turned out to be a great trail through a beautiful area open to hiking, horses and bicycles. Imagine our displeasure when one day they announced that horses would no longer be able to ride on the trail but could ride through the swamps alongside the trail. Louisiana swamp mud is renowned for being able to pull shoes off of horses and to cause leg sprains as they trudge through the thick mud.

Today it is a beautiful 31 mile long trail for bikes and hiking but I will always remember it as just another way that equestrians got shafted.

I saw that coming before the second paragraph. Horses leave piles on the trails. The walkers and cyclist would complain and end the use for the horse owners in short order. There is one park near me that is surrounded by horse farms. They have trails for walking and horseback. I'm sure they are open to bikes, but I don't see many biking on the trails there. The town seems to currently embrace the horses, but everything could easily change in 20-30 years.

 

[MossRoad]

Our state parks have designated horse trails. Humans can walk on the horse trails, but horses can't walk on the human trails. No bikes on the horse trails. And I wouldn't walk on the bike trails. Those guys are nuts.

 

[Hay Dude]

Rails to trails sounds regressive
The rails were put there in part to make it so people dont have to walk.
Now they are back to walking.