Some determined advocacy.

I was invited the other day to an "input session" with the West Michigan Trails organization.  It's a group dedicated to the development of an integrated trail network throughout the region.  The two hours or so were filled with a slide show and commentary on all aspects of trail design and development.  

There was some excellent discussion about way fare signage and an overall discussion about developed, in-construction, in-development and proposed trails.  

A lot centered around current obstacles that groups and different jurisdictions were encountering now that nearly all the abandoned rail beds have been used or disposed of in different ways.  Now, trail groups are attempting to develop trails on private properties where they are running into problems.  Obstinate owners and gold digging holdouts are preventing a lot of development and making some connections look like futile bong dreams.  

Then there is the money.  It was noted that the days when an available rail bed could be developed for $150K per mile are long gone.  The prices these days are north of $1M per mile, in one case $5M per mile was noted.  All this attention makes me feel really good since I've been a cycling enthusiast for over 50 years and am amazed that this much serious attention is being placed on cycling infrastructure.    After the meeting I left with the impression that the goal of connectivity will be better developed with more attention paid to identifying and marking reasonable on road bike routes to connect the developed trails. On the other hand, I know there are a lot more uses to a trail than cycling. So it will be continually frustrating.

 And, of course, of the 30 or so advocates in the meeting,

one was on a bike.