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Recreation & Health
A fresh wave of interest in bicycle and pedestrian transportation was engendered by the federal highway bill passed in 1991. The bill requires each state to hire a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. The federal highway bill, Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), also required each state to include non-motorized elements in their transportation plans.

ISTEA opened new sources of funding for non-motorized transportation improvements, planning and programs as well as for recreational trails and intermodal linkages.

In 1998 ISTEA was reinstated and renamed, Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). This bill was even stronger in its requirements to establish bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Part of the reason for this is due to the growing realization that motorized transportation contributes to degraded air quality, urban noise, congestion, and other modern woes.

According to a Harris Poll conducted in December 1991, 46% of American adults age 18 or over had bicycled within the past year.

The January 1999 issue evaluated the country's 30 largest cities. Indianapolis ranked fifth least-fit and New Orleans was first. The most-fit city was San Diego.

Indianapolis, as one of the nation's least-fit cities, should be home of the Thickyard instead of the Brickyard, says Men's Fitness magazine.

"If this is true, it can only help inspire the city to improve its ranking," said Chris Costlow, the director of marketing for the National Institute for Fitness and Sport.

The magazine looked at the percentage of smokers by state per-capita consumption of alcohol, percentage of overweight men, area chronic disease index, acreage available for recreational use, city air and water quality, sporting goods stores per 100,000 population and number of hamburger chains per 100,000 population.

Indiana had the highest percentages of smoking and overweight men. The state has the smallest area of recreational land. And only four other cities had a higher ratio of McDonald's and Burger King restaurants.

"Some speculate that urban sprawl, cold winters, lack of bicycle commuting lanes, poor diet and employers who don't know how to keep their work force healthy are among the factors that could figure into Indianapolis' poor ranking.

Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, digestive disorders, and smoking are all commonly seen by physicians in Indianapolis. Lifestyle can contribute to many of those illnesses.

"People in the Midwest and Indianapolis are pretty sedentary," said Dr. Michael Barbara, an osteopathic internist at Westview Hospital. Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. ranks Indiana third highest for overall heart disease risk behind Mississippi and West Virginia.

Since 1995, the National Institute for Fitness and Sport has seen a 40 percent growth in membership health and fitness facilities. But fitness facilities aren't the only answer for staying in shape.

"You don't need a health club or fancy piece of equipment," Costlow said. "You can just go out and walk."

The main incentives motivating bicycle usage are exercise and enjoyment, with some evidence that environmental concerns are also a factor. The main disincentives to bicycle riding are concerns over traffic safety, lack of routes, and weather.

Cities with higher levels of bicycle commuting have on average 70% more bikeways per roadway mile and six times more bike lanes per arterial mile than the average.

BENEFITS
"The benefits of recreation are endless! Outdoor recreation opportunities offer benefits that reach far beyond a simple walk in the woods. Nearly everyone in society is affected one way or another by the benefits that outdoor recreation can provide. They permeate the workforce, the communities that we live in, the schools, the economy, the environment, and the home. Outdoor recreation activity benefits the individual mentally, physically and spiritually. When quality outdoor recreation opportunities are available and accessible, everyone benefits." (Indiana Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2000, [SCORP]).

Nearly every central Indiana resident can benefit from outdoor recreation. Those who are physically active tend to have better health and quality of life in their later years. Exercise can enhance one's mental capabilities. Many studies indicate that people who exercise live longer than their sedentary counterparts. Another benefit of exercise is the immediate reduction of stress. Less stress allows people to maintain a balance between work and play which leads to increased happiness and productivity. Children benefit from exercise, which build strong bones and muscles while increasing self-esteem, independence, and confidence.

I. Less Crime
When there are many opportunities for recreation in a community, adult and juvenile crime is reduced. Communities become safer. Outdoor recreation can provide people with the opportunities to exert energy and emotion. Communities benefit when it's citizens' benefit. (SCORP) High quality recreational facilities, such as the B&O Rail-Trail will give central Indiana a sense of pride and bring the community together. It will provide an opportunity for residents to connect together and build strong bonds. Our communities will grow stronger.

II. Less Cost
The healthy work force decreases health care and insurance costs. St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis determined that 47 percent of the health insurance expenses incurred by patients in 1993 had a life-style/behavior relationship. This audit identified these risk factors: smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, stress, alcohol and drug abuse among others. St. Francis' report indicates which risk factors the community needs to address and the total dollars of potential savings.

Risk Category		Potential Savings
Lack of Exercise		$8,102,839
Smoking		$6,122,257
Obesity		$6,048,417
High Cholesterol		$2,154,924
Blood Pressure		$1,925,542
Stress		$1,116,661

III. Less Disease
Coronary heart disease is America's leading cause of death. Physical inactivity is the single greatest risk factor leading to coronary heart disease. As a result, exercise is specially important to improve public health. Bicycling and walking can help to fill America's physical inactivity void and make a major contribution to public health." (Planning Commissioners Journal, summer 1998).

Exercise reduces the development of high blood pressure in some people with hypertension. Exercise helps control weight, develops lean muscle, reduces body fat, and improves the immune system, brain, self-esteem, and bones.

"'For many seniors, the key to feeling young is exercise,' said Dr. Gordon Reed, Hendricks County Adult Medicine. "Aging without exercise causes muscles, heart and lungs to show a distinctly reduced ability to function by age 70."

Studies show that by age 80, people who have exercised regularly add one to two years to their life-span. These years are usually physically and emotionally better than those of elderly persons who are sedentary.

"'It's never too late to become active,' Reed said. 'Walking and swimming are two of the best forms of exercise and should be done two to three times a week.'" (Hendricks County Flyer).

The U.S. Center for Disease Control recently published "Promoting Physical Activity Among Adults," which states, "the most effective activity regimes may be those that are modest in intensity, individualized and incorporated into daily activity." Bicycling or walking to work, school, shopping, or elsewhere as part of a regular day-to-date route can be both a sustainable and time-efficient exercise regimen. It also accomplishes two activities at once-travel and exercise.

Upon being asked about commuting by bicycle, U.S. Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI), who chaired the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, stated in May, 1996, "I think having options and the opportunity to integrate exercise and to get out and enjoy the outdoors into your daily routine is a wonderful thing. If I drive to work, it takes 15 minutes. It takes half an hour to take the subway, between half an hour and 40 minutes to bike, and an hour to walk each way. To put in the miles walking or biking I can do in an extra half hour or hour a day, which is a lot more time efficient than going out and trying to play golf. It takes a half-day to do that."

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, 60% of U.S. adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity. Approximately 25 percent of U.S. adults are not active at all. This report also suggests that creating safe places for people to bicycle and walk will be critical to persuading sedentary people to become more active.

A 1999 study in South Carolina found that the lack of physical activity causes nearly 2,000 deaths annually and costs the state $157 million or more annually in hospital charges. (The Prevention Research Center at the University of South Carolina School of Public Health, Good Health: It's Your Move-Physical Activity in South Carolina, May 14, 1999).

NEED
Millions of Americans say they would begin to exercise, or exercise more often, if safe and secure trails existed. As many as 3.1 million people who do not exercise now say they would start if they had a safe, secure trail for walking. Similarly, as many as 25.3 million cyclists who do not commute by bicycle would consider this more healthful option with access to safe bicycle trails. Thus, providing safe, secure trails for walking and bicycling would encourage more Americans to start to exercise and commute to work in ways other than by driving alone in their cars. (Pathways for People, May, 1995).

Senior fellow L. Ben Lytle of the Hudson Institute of Indianapolis, who commented on the lack of bicycle facilities, stated "It's hard to exercise here. Try riding a bike in Indianapolis.

WHAT CAN COMMUNITIES DO?
Individuals must choose to exercise, but communities can make that choice easier. They can provide environmental inducements to physical activity such as safe, accessible, and attractive trails for walking and bicycling, and sidewalks with curb cuts. By doing so, communities can use trails as the tools to help make exercise more convenient and neighborhoods more exercise friendly. By doing so, they can help change bad habits into healthy ones.

The design and visibility of trails will significantly attract and encourage bicycling and walking. (1997 National Survey on Recreation and the Environment).

"Without health there is no happiness. An attention to health, then, should take the place of every other object." Thomas Jefferson, 1787

Trails and greenways create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with safe, attractive and low cost facilities for walking, bicycling, horseback riding, in-line skating, and cross-country skiing. They provide a safe route for commuting to work or school by walking or bicycling. In doing so, trails make it easier for people to engage in physical activity.

In southeastern Missouri, 55% of trail users are exercising more now than before they had access to a trail. (Ross C. Brownson, "Promoting and Evaluating Walking Trails in Rural Missouri).

The American people overwhelmingly support the integration of safe trails for walking and bicycling into their area's local transportation system. 70% of adults want local governments to include pedestrian and bicycling trails in transportation planning. Only 25% oppose. 56% of adults want local governments to devote more funds for trails in their area. Only 36% oppose. (Pathways for People, May, 1995).

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which includes the townships of surrounding counties, began a study in 1994 to address pedestrian and bicycling needs in the area. By 1996 the study designated a major bicycle/pedestrian route for the area. It was in the shape of a plus sign-the north leg would be the Monon Trail, the east leg would be near U.S 40 using abandoned rail corridors where possible, the south leg would use Buff Road and the west leg was the B&O rail corridor. There also would be a circular route around the area. The route on the west side would be the north-south connector road between U.S. 74 and U.S. 70.

The B&O Trail is also designated as a state bicycle route. Indy Parks has the B&O Trail in Marion County as one of their future trails, Hendricks County Comprehensive Land Plan designates the B&O as a bikeway system and a proposed park linkage and Putnam County has it designated as a transportation corridor.

Trails provide a natural, scenic area that causes people to actually want to be outdoors and physically active. By developing the B&O Rail-Trail, Marion, Hendricks, and Putnam counties would convert a neglected resource into an unique cost-effective, low maintenance recreational facility for generations to come.